SALEM: Tapioca farmers in Salem have urged the state government to include the root vegetable in the noon-meal scheme implemented at government schools and distribute sago (extracted starch) through fair price shops, citing that unstable prices over the years have made the cultivation increasingly unviable. They said that implementing said measures would create a steady demand, stabilise the prices, and protect the livelihood of thousands of farming families.
Salem remains one of the state's major tapioca-cultivating regions, owing to its favourable soil composition and climatic conditions that support high starch content. The crop forms the backbone of the district's sago industry and provides a livelihood to thousands of families, besides supporting workers employed in sago manufacturing units. However, due to a lack of stable prices, many farmers are forced to reconsider cultivating the crop.
Tamil Nadu Natural Farmers' Association president M Thangaraj said, "For nearly 30 years, tapioca farmers have not received a proper or remunerative price for their produce. Prices are largely controlled by a syndicate of mill owners. While the cultivation costs have increased steadily, the returns remained poor." He said the inclusion of the root vegetable, even once a week, in the noon-meal scheme and the distribution of sago through ration shops would create a reliable domestic market, instead of farmers depending on seasonal demand from other states. He said, "Higher demand would naturally help stabilise the prices and encourage farmers to continue cultivating tapioca."
Further, Thangaraj alleged that adulteration in the manufacturing of sago, over the years, had damaged consumer trust. "Adulteration has become one of the biggest challenges that the industry is facing. Unless the government ensures strict enforcement against adulteration and guarantees quality, consumers will continue to lose confidence in sago. Creating demand alone is not enough; quality should also be protected," he added.
S Jayaraman, a tapioca farmer, said consumption patterns have changed considerably over the years. "Earlier, tapioca and sago were widely consumed even within the state. Today, they are seen largely as products consumed in the northern parts of the country. Tapioca is nutritious and deserves to be included in government nutrition programmes," he said.
C Nallusamy, affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Toddy Movement, said the farmers' proposal, if implemented effectively, could become an important step in protecting the district's tapioca farmers and the sago industry. He welcomed the proposal and urged the government to simultaneously take concrete steps to eliminate adulteration in sago manufacturing. "Both demand creation and strict quality enforcement must go hand in hand," he said.
