Central Travancore farmers struggle with heavy unseasonal rains

Paddy farmers in Central Travancore are facing serious challenges due to increasing rains and delays in crop procurement. The recent unseasonal rain has worsened their situation, particularly in northern and upper Kuttanad. Farmers are frustrated and feel ignored by the government as they struggle to manage their harvested paddy. More than hundreds of tonnes of paddy are now vulnerable to spoilage because of the slow procurement process. Farmers have had to leave their crops outside for many days, raising concerns about moisture levels making the paddy unsuitable for sale. Many are accusing rice mills and their agents of taking advantage of the crisis by demanding higher prices before agreeing to buy the crop. Farmers also claim that Supplyco officials are cooperating with the millers by increasing the concession limits, which makes their situation worse. "Paddy stocks have been lying in the open. If the fields stay waterlogged a few more days, the paddy may begin to sprout, adding costs for drying," said M.K. Dileep, a local farming leader. Supplyco officials explained that millers are demanding concessions due to the higher moisture and discoloration of the paddy, which affects rice yields. They stated that millers can only produce 64 kg of rice per quintal from Upper Kuttanad paddy instead of the usual 68 kg. Farmers responded by stating that millers are using this as an excuse to exploit them. Mr. Dileep argued that the lower quality is largely due to soil conditions and poor irrigation. He called on the government to either provide compensation through better procurement prices or improve access to better seeds and water for irrigation.