NATIONAL COOPERATIVE CONSUMERS’ FEDERATION

• A new player in paddy procurement in non-delta region is gaining farmers’ attention
• The presence of relatively a new player in paddy procurement in Tamil Nadu is gaining the attention of farmers.
• For the 2022-23 procurement year (the Kharif marketing season), which began this year in September, the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation (NCCF).
• A body under the jurisdiction of the Department of Consumer Affairs at the Centre, has procured about 10.3% of paddy. As on October 1, around 3.35 lakh tonnes was procured, and the NCCF’s share in it was 34,479 tonnes.

More visibility

• It is not for the first time that the NCCF is procuring paddy. It has been in the market since 2016-17.
• However, the scale of its operation had been marginal. But the NCCF seems to be making an attempt to gain more visibility this year.
• For the civil supplies authorities, the delta comprises the districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Karur, Tiruchi, Cuddalore, Pudukottai, Ariyalur and Perambalur.
• The remaining districts, numbering 29, are called the non-delta region. The number of civil supplies districts is 39 as against 38 revenue districts.

Intermediaries

• Besides, the intermediaries seem to be “quite rigid” while interacting with farmers.
• In fact, they say that under the new arrangement involving the NCCF, the amount of “informal charges” — which the farmers pay at the time of procurement to a number of other players such as lorry drivers and local community — has come down considerably.
• “It is for the first time that the NCCF has obtained my stock of paddy, which is nearly 20 tonnes.
• It have been told that the payment will be made in 15 days as against one week earlier.
• There is no clarity on to whom I should represent if there is any delay or any other issue.

SOURCE: THE HINDU, THE ECONOMIC TIMES, PIB