Cherpu: A pressure tactic employed by rice mill owners after the commencement of paddy harvesting operations appears to have paid off, with farmers and paddy- polder committees agreeing to supply paddy at a deduction of 1.5 per cent per quintal. Following the agreement, harvesting operations at the Chenam Tharishu fields here, which had remained suspended for three days, were resumed.

In a departure from previous years, mill owners had this season demanded either a 2.5 per cent concession per quintal after harvesting began, or that the harvested paddy bags be reopened, cleaned of chaff and straw and reweighed before procurement. When farmers refused to comply, the millers halted the harvesting process. Subsequent discussions held over the past three days between the polder committees, officials of Supplyco and mill owners resulted in a compromise decision to accept a 1.5 per cent deduction per quintal as concession.

Farmers allege that the millers deliberately adopted this strategy, aware that any delay after the crop had ripened would intensify drying under the harsh heat, causing grains to fall and significantly reducing weight. This, in turn, would have forced the farmers to yield to their demands.

To clean the harvested paddy, workers have now been deployed in the fields, adding an extra cost of about Rs.1,600 per acre, said A K Raju, secreary of the polder committe

The Chenam Tharishu fields alone span around 530 acres, while the nearby Jubilee Thevar Padavu polder extends over 950 acres. Thousands of acres across the district still remain to be harvested. Farmers also allege that despite appeals to the government, political leaders and officials to intervene in their favour, no effective action was taken to alleviate their hardship.