The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Where farmers do the marketing too

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Tuesday, Dec 19, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Others

Where farmers do the marketing too

M.J. Prabu

DIRECT SELLING: A farmer's shop selling organic produce. — Photo : M. J. Prabu

Mayiladuthurai: With the increasing input costs, farmers are finding it difficult to cultivate crops and market their produce. Most often it is the middlemen or agents who stand to make the profits.

"Not anymore, organic farmers need not have to take the help of any agent or middleman for selling their produce. They also need not look up to the government for help," said R. Ranganathan, president of Organic Farmers Association in Tamil Nadu.

The association, which has about 10,000 members all over the country, sell their organic produce through it, which has its sales outlets in different parts of India. For example, in the delta districts of Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam, more than 50 outlets sell organic produce grown by the farmers of the area.

The association has about 200 outlets in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and in parts of Ladakh, Gujarat and Delhi.

These shops have been set up through contributions made by the farmers themselves and cater to the needs of the local area. Apart from rice, these shops stock fruits, vegetables and spices. The only special feature is that all items sold here are organic.

Organically grown food has a good demand and the price is always stable. Also these shops give employment opportunities to several unemployed, claim the farmers. The marketing outlet is a model to others.

"The Government should cut all subsidies to farmers and stop selling chemical pesticides. Every district must form groups comprising of the agriculture officer, a tahsildar and one progressive farmer to review the progress of farmers. They should explain to the farmers the input cost and the selling price," said Mr. M. R. Sambandam Pillai, another organic farmer in Mayiladuthurai district.

Before the so-called green revolution there was no monocrop. Farmers used to grow multicrops and were able to minimise their yield loss.

Mr. Ranganathan, who is based in Chennai, can be reached on 9443346369.

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