PERAMBALUR: MP KN Arun Nehru has urged the Union government to establish a small onion processing cluster in the district to significantly boost farmers' incomes and attract traders by ensuring transparent transactions.
The district is among the largest producers of small onions in the country. During the Lok Sabha session last month, Arun Nehru highlighted the challenges faced by small onion farmers. Subsequently, in a letter to the Chirag Paswan, Minister for Food Processing Industries, he outlined the urgent need for a food processing industry in the district.
"Perambalur is an agricultural district, ranking 31st in terms of Standard of Living (Per Capita Income) according to the Human Development Report 2017," Nehru wrote in his letter.
"The district covers an area of 1.02 lakh hectares and produces various crops, including maize, onion, cotton, paddy, turmeric, chilli, tomato, brinjal, groundnut, sunflower, and sesame. Despite maize and onion being the top crops in Tamil Nadu, with 27% and 50% of the state's share respectively, farmers struggle with significant post-harvest losses," he added. Nehru pointed out that inadequate storage facilities, particularly for maize and onions, contribute to these losses, with post-harvest spoilage rates ranging from 16% to 35%.
The lack of proper curing and storage options forces farmers to sell their produce at low prices, often through middlemen, leading to unfair compensation for their hard work. To combat these challenges, Nehru proposed the establishment of a food processing industry in the district.
"Improved storage centres will be vital in preserving the quality of produce," Nehru said. "By reducing post-harvest losses, farmers' incomes will increase, leading to a better socio-economic status for the farming community. I hope the central government will take swift action to implement this initiative," he added.