The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Sunflower procurement centre set up

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Saturday, May 24, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Sunflower procurement centre set up

K. Raju

Now, farmers need not go to faraway Vellakoil

PALANI: Sunflower growers in western parts of the district need not go to neighbouring districts such as Erode to market their produce, thanks to setting up of a sunflower procurement centre by the Palani Agricultural Produce Cooperative Marketing Society.

The centre, inaugurated by Joint Registrar of Cooperatives K. Karthikeyan here on Friday, received three-and-a-half tonnes of seeds on the first day. The seeds were sold at Rs.33.19 a kg, the highest price this season.

“Response from farmers is overwhelming,” said A. Gunasekaran, the society’s Special Officer. Unlike other auction centres, quality of sunflower seeds was checked in the presence of farmers. Prices were fixed on the basis of oil content only. Grading, weighing and packing were done in their presence. Transparency was maintained in the auction process.

Above all, farmers get money within an hour after auction. In case of bulk procurement, companies even prepare to go to field to collect the produce. Such move helps farmers save transport costs also, they added. We collect Rs.2 a bag as unloading charges and offer sacks for repacking.

Transport expenses would also be reduced to half as the centre is within 30 km radius from cultivation areas.

When contacted, farmers said that Vellakoil market in Erode district was dominated by traders.

Auction was done in a small room. We had to wait outside it. It was also an indirect auction. The organisers announced auction prices and lot numbers periodically. They also collected Rs.2.50 a bag as unloading charges.

The procurement price at Vellakoil market was hovering between Rs.30 and 31 only. It never touched Rs. 33 till date. “We had to wait at least three days to receive the cash. The Palani centre is really a boon to us,” they said

Sunflower is cultivated in a large scale in Oddanchatram, Vedasandur and Palani taluks.

Low production costs, less maintenance and better price for the end product have tempted farmers to switch over to sunflower from maize, one of the traditional crops of rain-fed areas in the district. Steady market price also has encouraged even farmers having well irrigated areas to raise sunflower. Its area has been expanding rapidly in the past three years to touch 15,000 hectares — particularly in Oddanchatram and Vedasandur taluks.

Despite good procurement prices for sunflower, lack of procurement centre within the district was the biggest handicap to growers. They had to go to Vellakoil, 70 km away from Palani and the nearest procurement centre for sunflower. Other procurement centres are in Coimbatore and Salem.

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