Tamil Nadu - Erode   

Cold storage in farmers’ market dysfunctional

Photo: M. Govarthan

Uzhavar Santhai at Erode is witnessing a heavy crowd of buyers. –

ERODE: Erode uzhavar santhai is popular among farmers and it is functioning efficiently. But still buyers complain about prices of vegetables sold inside the market. Rotary Clubs of Erode have provided cold storage facility to the santhai last month. Agriculture Minister Veerapandy S. Arumugam inaugurated it. About 100 kg of vegetables could be kept in the storage. Erode District Collector T. Udhaychandran also announced that cold storage facilities would also be extended in other uzhavar santhais at Gobichettipalayam, Dharapuram and Sathyamangalam through the horticulture department.

But the cold storage system has not been functioning for the last 45 days. Officials said they had not received any instruction from the Government about collection fees for the vegetables to be kept inside the cold storage. Sanction of more funds for electricity charges would also be given and the facility would get uninterrupted power supply.

Buyers complained that prices of vegetables varied depending on farmers. No uniform rate was collected. A buyer Elangovan said: “I am a regular buyer of vegetables in the farmer’s shandy at Sampathnagar, Erode. For the last few months, private vendors have upon encroached the front entrance of the shandy and it is difficult for buyers to enter it easily.

Further, wholesale buyers visit the market much earlier than the general public do and purchase products by paying money on the spot. Because of this, the regular buyers could not get some vegetables. But they are available with the handcart vegetable vendors in front of the market.”

Another buyer said according to the Government order, no private vendor should set up a vegetable shop near the farmer’s shandy.

The buyers also complained that no police guard had been provided for the shandy.

They complained that the prices were not fixed reasonably.

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