ago units, with their collective bargaining power, is depriving the farmers of a reasonable price for tapioca, said farmers at a grievances redress meeting held here on Friday.
There were about 300 sago units – all in the private sector. They rarely attend meetings convened at taluk level to decide the price of tapioca.
The District Collector should immediately convene a meeting of farmers, sago unit owners, and officials concerned to find a solution to the problem faced by tapioca cultivators in the district, they said.
A.R. Shanmugam of Panamarathupatti, raising the matter at the meeting, said that the failure to fix a reasonable price for tapioca despite holding meetings in Salem city, Attur, Mettur, and Sankagiri, was a matter of serious concern.
He said that the price fixed in Namakkal should be followed here too. Special teams should be formed to monitor the implementation of the decisions arrived at the meetings, he said.
K.A. Govindasamy, president of the Tamil Nadu Tapioca Farmers Association, said that sago unit owners have not taken the talks seriously. Many sago units owners did not participate in the talks.
He said that taluk level talks will serve no purpose.Mr. Govindasamy insisted that owners of the major sago factories should be directed to attend the talks. Only a direct interaction between the farmers, and the sago unit owners in the presence of senior officials will help find a solution to the problem. N. Elango, Joint Director of Agriculture, said that the sago units were not ready to give the price fixed in Namakkal district. If they continue to take a tough stand, the Collector will definitely intervene, he said.
Some of the farmers said that even the price fixed in Namakkal was not adequate enough taking into consideration the expenses involved in the cultivation of the crop.
They said the price should be fixed at at least Rs. 850 a bag.
S. Govindarajan, president, Salem-Attur Cane Farmers Association, said that the inadequate rainfall has hit the standing makka cholam (corn) crop in various parts of the district. The farmers have spent Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 10,000 an acre. He asked the officials to take steps to bring the makka cholam farmers under insurance coverage.
Mr. Elango said that the government has already introduced insurance coverage for all the crops through the primary agricultural cooperative societies.
The government will bear 50 per cent of the premium. In the past, the farmers have got adequate insurance amount for the crop loss. He called upon the farmers leaders to create awareness among the farming community about the same. C. Vaiyapuri, president, United Farmers Association – Tamil Nadu, said that drought-like conditions have badly hit the standing pulses crop in Thalaivasal block. Even villages situated on the river banks were facing drinking water scarcity. Many animals were dying, he said.
