COIMBATORE: Nutmeg farmers in Pollachi, who formed a farmer-producer council last year, are reaping the benefits of staying united, breaking free from exploitation by traders and commission agents.
According to sources, for over two decades, traders exploited the farmers who were fragmented and did not have exposure to the market. In 2022, fifty farmers came together and demanded Rs 470 per kg which was Rs 30 more than the price offered by traders.
Encouraged by their success, more farmers joined them and the number swelled to 85 culminating in the formation of the first Farmer Producer Company for nutmeg farmers in Pollachi. K Ranjit Kumar from Kottur Malayandipattanam near Pollachi, who has an M Phil degree from Cambridge University and chose to take up farming in 2017, said,
“This year, even nutmeg farmers from Kerala are participating in the collective effort. Though traders are offering Rs 370 per kg for Pollachi nutmeg, which is of superior quality, we are determined to sell for Rs 470 per kg, emphasising the bargaining power of the nutmeg community in Pollachi. In stark contrast, the market price for Kerala nutmeg is `320 per kg, underscoring its quality.”
“This August, our collective efforts borne fruit as the farmers sold 6 tonnes of nutmeg at `470 per kg to a new buyer, who was impressed by the superior quality and placed order for 25 tonnes directly from us,” he added. Sources said from September 13 to September 15, around 85 farmers from 24 villages in Anaimalai and Kerala got together at Sri Ram Murugan Kalyana Mandapam in Kottur village. This mandapam has served as nutmeg collection centre since 2022 and also functions as the office of the nutmeg farmers group.
“To streamline the process, farmers have been organised into different sets of villages, allowing them to pool their resources and transport their nutmeg to the Mandapam using common vehicles. Upon arrival, the stock is meticulously weighed, and farmers are issued receipts detailing the quantity and the gross value due to them. Following the generation of e-way bills, the buyer deposits the entire amount, which is reimbursed directly to the farmers within a day or two,” sources said.
K Vishwanathan, a nutmeg farmer, who cultivates in his 12-acre land in Valaikombu near Anaimalai, said, “This method has earned the trust and support of the nutmeg farming community. In the past, traders used to offer token advances to farmers, only to return after a month and sometimes reduce the promised amount, citing false market fluctuations. Farmers were often left with no choice but to sell their stocks at a disadvantageous rate. But this time we were offered a fair price.”