PERAMBALUR: Farmers selling their produce at the district's lone functioning Uzhavar Santhai have called upon the authorities to prevent traders from entering using fake identity cards. Functioning at the Vadakku Madhavi Road in Perambalur for more than 20 years, the Uzhavar Sandhai accommodates more than 80 shops.
Traders, after procuring vegetables from farmers, use fake identity cards and enter the Santhai as farmers, they've alleged. Since the authorities fix the price set by the traders, farmers struggle to get a fair price for their produce.
Apart from this, several other farmers set up shop outside the market, disrupting their sales. Despite several complaints made to the authorities, no action has yet been taken. Speaking to TNIE, B Kumar, a farmer from Elambalur who has a shop at the Uzhavar Santhai, remarked, "Only 20 farmers have shops here; the remaining shops are occupied by traders, who enter showing fake identity cards.
They fix the price of the products at a rate far higher than that at which they were procured from the farmers. When the farmers protest, the price is fixed even lower. Oftentimes, farmers are forced to sell their produce at prices that can hardly even cover the cost of production."
Another farmer from the district, who did not wish to be named, said, "Farmers don't come here regularly - and when they do come, they find that most of the space is already occupied by traders. With no other option, they sell their produce to the traders." When contacted, Perambalur Agriculture Officer (Uzhavar Santhai) M Shenbagam said,
"Only a few traders sell vegetables here; most shops are otherwise occupied by farmers. We fix the fair price by checking nearby markets. In addition, we make frequent visits to farmers' fields to issue new cards."