Central team arrives in Tamil Nadu to assess paddy moisture
The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has dispatched three central teams to Tamil Nadu to evaluate the quality of paddy affected by the recent rains and determine if a major relaxation in procurement norms is warranted.
The move comes after the Tamil Nadu government formally requested the Centre to increase the permissible moisture content for paddy procurement from the current 17% to 22%.
The delta region and other paddy-growing areas have been experiencing unseasonal and persistent rainfall, making it nearly impossible for farmers to dry their harvested produce to the mandated 17% moisture level.
Grains exceeding this limit are either rejected at Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs) or face price deductions, forcing farmers into distress sales to private traders.
On October 19, 2025, the Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, wrote to the Centre seeking a temporary relaxation of the uniform specifications for the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2025–26, citing the widespread impact of the Northeast Monsoon.
In response, the Union Ministry constituted and dispatched the teams, comprising officers from the Ministry’s Storage and Research Division.
The teams are tasked with visiting rain-affected districts, inspecting the harvested crops, and collecting paddy samples from DPCs and farmlands. These samples will be tested at Food Corporation of India (FCI) laboratories in the State.