Rapid mechanization has increased daily arrivals at direct-buying centers, but chronic staff shortages and wide disparities in pay for “stand-ins” have stifled purchasing operations in the Cauvery delta, union leaders said. They warned that immediate administrative fixes were needed to prevent further disruptions.
C. Chandrakumar, state general secretary of the TNCSC Workers’ Union (affiliated to AITUC), told The Hindu that the dramatic shift in harvesting practices had left procurement infrastructure and staffing badly balanced. “Unlike a decade ago, harvesting and transportation now takes place within hours. A thousand bags can reach the DPC in a short period of time,” he said. “However, the staff strength has not kept pace; new recruitment has been negligible. We had warned the administration a month ago – after Mettur water was released – to open more DPCs and CAP standby units. These steps were not taken in time,” he said.
Mr. Chandrakumar cited an acute shortage of loading men — laborers who handle the manual lifting and loading of bags — as the main reason for the delay in procurement this season. “Procurement was delayed mainly because loading men were not available when needed. Even now the police are managing it with great difficulty,” he said and called for speedy remedial action.
Wage disparity
Unions have revealed stark and confusing pay anomalies that they say are discouraging work and fueling mid-level malpractice. “In the DPC, the rate of ₹10 per bag has been fixed in December 2021,” Mr. Chandrakumar said. “For CAP units, the rate is only ₹1.48 per bag, railway loaders get ₹5 per bag, while private contractors pay up to ₹15. Such variations encourage corruption at lower levels and discourage traditional loaders from taking up the job,” he said.
He raised a delicate but consequential administrative problem: a government regulation that prohibits or discourages men in their 60s from manual loading. “This order has effectively forced many traditional loaders out of work. In some cases, payments meant for these older workers are being credited to younger relatives, even though the older ones are no longer physically lifting the bags. This is disrupting local labor markets and taking experienced hands out of the field just when they are needed,” he said, urging authorities to review the rule and its implementation while protecting worker safety.
Elavari K., General Secretary of the TNCSC Employees’ Union (INTUC), raised procedural and fairness issues regarding remuneration and temporary staff. “According to the TNCSC rules on slimming and movement losses, permanent buyers and others are responsible. However, it is inappropriate to withhold payments to only temporary seasonal workers or deny payments for the same reasons,” he said, demanding an administrative remedy.
Both leaders criticized the absence of basic pre-purchase planning. “There was no scheme report this season detailing the expected production and the manpower required,” Mr. Chandrakumar said. “Without it, deployment is ad hoc and the system becomes burdened.” Unions urged immediate action: the creation of an independent committee to set a market-aligned, uniform wage for pickled workers; rapid filling of more than 1,200 approved vacancies under the 12/3 contract; and reopening more than 50 open storage centers in Delta neighborhoods that were previously closed.
Union representatives pointed to a serious shortage of employees in the storage units and SZP facilities. “Many warehouses that need dozens of administrative staff are operating with only a fraction of the workforce,” Mr. Elavari said. “This shortfall affects weighing, packaging and safe shipping and increases the scope for malpractice,” he added.
Published – 26 Oct 2025 20:42 IST
