Ryots stage stir by dumping paddy on road

Farmers on Friday staged a protest by dumping paddy and parking a tractor on the Erode-Karur main road demanding opening of a direct paddy procurement center at Cholangapalayam near Kodumudi in Erode district.

Farmers involved in the struggle said ''Harvesting is being done on about 700 acres in this area alone under the Kalingarayan canal irrigation.  There were more than 10 paddy procurement centers in the area.  But by May, they were all closed.

Although the government has fixed the base purchase price at Rs. 20.60 per kg, we are selling paddy to the private sector at a low price of Rs. 14 per kg as the procurement center has not been opened.  The traders are refusing to buy it.Upon receiving the information, the Malayampalayam police arrived at the scene, held talks with those involved in the struggle  and promised to bring their demand to the attention of the relevant authorities.  Following this, those involved in the struggle disbanded the stir.