Tamil Nadu - Tuticorin   

Farmers' markets in Kovilpatti, Tenkasi get a new lease of life

Madurai Bureau

Farmers have been provided with identity cards and weighing machines

REVIVED: Tuticorin Collector R. Palaniyandi and his counterpart in Tirunelveli G. Prakash, right, visiting farmers' markets at Kovilpatti and Tenkasi respectively on Tuesday. — Photo. N.Rajesh

Tuticorin: `Uzhavar sandhai' at Kovilpatti on Tuesday got a fresh lease of life, thanks to the steps taken by the State Government to reopen it.

Situated on a 16,361-square feet plot, the market complex houses 80 shops, a cycle stand, toilets, canteen and a milk booth, all constructed at a cost of Rs. 10.3 lakh.

The DMK Government opened the complex on March 14, 2000 but the AIADMK Government closed it on October 8, 2002 stating it as `unviable.'

"At the time of closure, the project was performing well with an average of 3.97 tonnes of vegetables and fruits being sold daily, registering a transaction of Rs.33, 490 a day," an agriculture department official said.

With the rejuvenation of activities at the complex, the district administration expects to sell over seven tonnes of fruits and vegetables grown by farmers from 110 villages situated within a 40 km radius of Kovilpatti.

After inspecting the sales on the first day of reopening, Collector R. Palaniyandi said brinjal, bhendi, tomato, cluster beans, onion, banana, elephant yam, citrus, chilly and curry leaf cultivated on over 834 hectares spread over 110 villages would be sold in the market.

"We had issued identity cards to 647 farmers in the region to enable them use the stalls at the market for selling their produces without paying any rent," he said.

Since the Kovilpatti region do not produce `hill vegetables' like carrots, qualiflower and potato on a large scale, the administration has made arrangements for sale of such vegetables at the market through stalls of Agriculture Marketing Societies, registered in the district, to meet the demands of consumers.

S. Shahul Hameed, Joint Director of Agriculture, said the market would enable the farmers get better profit, as middlemen would not be involved in the supply chain. Most attractive features of the market were clear display of prices and correctness of quantity.

Dr. Palaniyandi said the administration had supplied weights and measuring gadgets for use in the complex to ensure fair quantity of commodities.

Tenkasi

The Tenkasi `uzhavar sandhai,' which was defunct for the past few years, got a new lease of life on Tuesday when the Tirunelveli Collector, G. Prakash, formally inaugurated sale of vegetables there.

Though the market was functioning vibrantly with 41 shops, it became non-operational later. Since efforts were taken to revive ailing markets across the State after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam came to power, the uzhavar sandhai at Tenkasi also became functional. As many as 150 farmers have been provided with identity cards.

While thousands of farmers would get fair price for their produce, consumers too would get fresh fruits and vegetables at cheaper price, as there would not be any middlemen. He thanked officials of Departments of Agriculture and Horticulture for reviving the market and officials of Department of Transport for bringing vegetables and fruits from various places.

District Revenue Officer G. Loganathan, Revenue Divisional Officer, Tenkasi, Ramanasaraswathi participated.

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