(MENAFN- IANS) Chennai, Nov 23 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam has accused opposition parties of deliberately spreading misinformation about paddy procurement during the Kuruvai season, alleging that they were attempting to politicise a complex issue rooted in climate-related disruptions.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday at the Secretariat, the Minister said unseasonal rains triggered by climate change had posed challenges to Kuruvai cultivation this year.

However, he stressed that proactive interventions by the state government -- ranging from financial support to timely water release -- had helped farmers significantly mitigate the impact.

Panneerselvam said the state government had implemented several measures for the welfare of farmers, including the Rs 214-crore Kuruvai package scheme, subsidies for inputs, and the timely opening of the Mettur dam for irrigation.

"As a result of these coordinated efforts, the production of paddy has tripled when compared to past years," he added.

Comparing procurement figures, the Minister charged that the AIADMK's decade-long term had seen only 1.79 crore metric tonnes of paddy procured, while the DMK government, since assuming office in 2021, had already procured 1.93 crore metric tonnes.

"These numbers speak for themselves. The Opposition is spreading false allegations to mislead farmers," he said.

Criticising the Union government, he alleged that the Centre had refused to permit the blending of fortified rice and had denied Tamil Nadu's request to increase permissible moisture levels for paddy procurement -- an essential demand amid widespread rains.

"After refusing to increase the moisture level, the Prime Minister went on to participate in a conference on natural farming. This is nothing but a double game on issues affecting farmers," he alleged.

Highlighting the state's financial support to cultivators, Panneerselvam said crop insurance claims worth Rs 5,997 crore had been settled over the past four years, benefiting 37 lakh farmers.

In addition, Rs 1,692 crore had been disbursed as disaster relief to 20 lakh farmers during the same period.

On the recent crop losses due to heavy rains, the Minister said that 4,893 hectares had been affected, impacting 4,667 farmers.

The Chief Minister, he added, would soon announce compensation for the affected farmers.

The Minister also assured that fertiliser stocks in Tamil Nadu were more than adequate and that strict monitoring was being carried out to ensure smooth and fair distribution across all districts.

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