Minister inaugurates modern paddy storage facilities in Cuddalore district

File photo of Tamil Nadu Minister for Food and Civil Supplies P. Venkataramanan.

Tamil Nadu Minister for Food and Civil Supplies P. Venkataramanan on Saturday (October 31, 2026) inaugurated two paddy storage facilities, with structural roofing built at a total cost of ₹11.56 crore in Srimushnam taluk in Cuddalore district.

The facilities, constructed with financial assistance under the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), have a combined storage capacity of 7,000 tonnes. The Melapalayur facility, with a capacity of 2,000 tonnes, was built at a cost of ₹3.83 crore, while the 5,000-tonne facility at Thethampattu cost ₹7.73 crore.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Venkataramanan said permanent paddy storage facilities with structural roofing were being established across the State to protect paddy procured from farmers at direct procurement centres from rain and other natural hazards.

Five such facilities, with a combined capacity of 33,500 tonnes, were being developed in Cuddalore district. Apart from the two inaugurated on Saturday, work was under way on facilities with capacities of 9,500 tonnes in Veppur taluk, 6,000 tonnes at Vanamadevi in Kattumannarkoil taluk and 11,000 tonnes at Thazhanallur in Tittakudi taluk.

Officials had been instructed to expedite the remaining work, he said.

During the 2025–26 Kharif season, 748 direct paddy procurement centres were opened in the district and 5,66,210.880 tonnes of paddy were procured. In the 2026–27 season, 202 centres had been opened and 61,004.600 tonnes procured so far, the Minister said.

He said procurement arrangements were being made based on the extent of agricultural land in villages served by each centre. The district administration was also regularly reviewing procurement and the movement of procured stocks.

The storage facilities would help prevent paddy bags from getting soaked and damaged during the monsoon, ensure safe storage and facilitate procurement operations, he added.

Collector Sibi Adhithya Senthil Kumar was present.