TIRUCHY: The state government has increased the procurement price from Rs 38 to Rs 44/litre of cow milk and Rs 53 for buffalo milk, fulfilling a long-pending demand of farmers.
However, farmers in Tiruchy allege that cooperative milk societies docked Rs 4/litre towards staff salary and festival bonus.The issue came to light after cooperative societies credited payment in the bank accounts of farmers on October 3.
S Selvam, a farmer from Punganur, said “Only Rs 40 per litre was credited. When we questioned officials, they told us that Rs 1.85 was deducted towards salary of co-op society employees and administrative expenses, Rs 1.15 was towards Pongal bonus, and Rs 1 was towards incentive to be paid to us at the end of every month.”
Vayalur N Rajendran, treasurer of the farmers’ wing of the Tamil Manila Congress, said there can be no justification for deducting a portion of the benefit farmers had secured after several years of struggle. “Rearing cattle is not easy these days. Farmers have to spend a lot of money to buy cattle feed. How can farmers survive under these circumstances? Considering all these factors, we request the government to ensure that farmers receive the full procurement price,” Rajendran said.
P Sundara Vadivelu, general manager (in-charge) of Aavin (Tiruchy) told TNIE that they have deducted Rs 1.75 towards administrative expenses of milk societies. and Rs 1 retained to be given later to farmers. No amount would be deducted towards bonus, he said.
“Societies utilise 50 % of Rs 1.75 for their expenses, while the remaining amount will be utilised to distribute bonus to milk producers. After deducting Rs 2.75, Rs 41.25 will be credited to the farmers’ bank accounts. We are preparing handbills explaining how the payment would be made in detail,” he explained.
N Ganesan, joint secretary of the Tamil Nadu Milk Producers’ Welfare Association, said “The process of deducting Rs 1 and returning it as incentive is unnecessary and must be stopped. The union should credit the full amount to farmers ,” he said.
Farmers said deductions were routine and the amount was minimal not now a huge sum had been docked. “With cost of fodder, cattle feed and other inputs rising, we cannot bear the additional burden, “ Rajendran said, and urged the government to bear cost of administrative and related expenses.