COIMBATORE: Chief Minister MK Stalin recently made an announcement that Uzhavar Sandhais, which sell vegetables and fruits, would function in the evenings in five districts on a trial basis to sell cereals and pulses. The Uzhavar Sandhai in RS Puram is among the markets that would function in the evenings. Sources said the chief minister would launch the project soon.
The government’s decision, however, evoked mixed response from farmers. P Kandhasami, general secretary of farmers association (non political), said, “In the last 5 years, sales in Uzhavar sandhais have reduced drastically and farmers are forced to take back unsold farm produce home. There is no modernization or cold storage facilities in the market to help farmers.
While this is the case, what is the use in opening the market in the evenings just to sell pulses and cereals? The government must develop infrastructure in the markets than spending money on such ideas. Consumers also would find it difficult to visitthe market twice - for vegetables in the morning and pulses in the evenings. It would be better if the sales are combined.”
But farmers had a different take, R Periyasamy of Theethipalayam, said, “It has been our request to shift the Uzhavar Sandhai to evenings as farmers would be involved in farm works in the mornings and find it difficult to bring the produce to the market early in the morning.”Ranganathan of Thadagam stated, “The products will be much more fresh if they will be made available in the evening, as we would harvest them only in the afternoon. We welcome this decision.”
K Sundaravadivel, Deputy Direcor of Agri Marketing and Business Department, said,” The scheme is aimed at helping Farmers Producer Organization. The potential of the project is unknown right now. We are aware of request of farmers but we are just officials who follow government orders and not the deciding authority.”