Role of middlemen will be eliminated in tapioca tuber procurement process, says Namakkal Collector
Staff Reporter
Farmers complain that middlemen procure tubers at very low rates
They are prevented from selling directly to starch and sago manufacturers
NAMAKKAL: The district administration will initiate stringent measures to eliminate the role of middlemen in the tapioca tuber procurement process in Kolli Hills, Collector G. Sundaramurthi has said.
He was speaking at a meeting organised to discuss problems in tapioca tuber procurement with farmers and starch and sago manufacturers in Kolli Hills on Tuesday. The meeting was conducted following complaints from farmers that the middlemen were purchasing the tubers at very low rates and preventing them from selling their produce directly to the manufacturers.
They lent money as advance for crop yield and insisted that farmers sell the tubers to them. More than 33,000 acres in the hills were covered under the tapioca crop.
The Collector said that the administration would initiate immediate steps to eliminate the middlemen. The co-operative department would facilitate the farmers to sell their produce directly to the manufacturers. He also asked the farmers to avail of loans from the Kolli Hills Large Size Multipurpose Cooperative Society to cultivate tapioca.
A weighing machine and a facility to measure the starch content in the tapioca tuber would be installed in Cholakkadu, he added.
He also directed the transport officials to ensure that the lorry operators collected normal freight charges for transporting the tapioca tubers from Kolli Hills. Senthamangalam MLA K. Ponnusamy, Joint Registrar of Co-operative Societies Ganesan, Salem Central Co-operative Bank Special Officer Tamizharasan were present.
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