The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : “Expedite setting up of a coconut complex at Pattukottai”

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Tamil Nadu

“Expedite setting up of a coconut complex at Pattukottai”

Special Correspondent

— Photo: M. Srinath.

HELPFUL: S. S. Palanimanickam, Union Minister of State for Finance, presenting an identity card to a copra farmer in Pattukottai.

PATTUKOTTAI: Coconut farmers of Pattukottai have appealed to the Union Minister of State for Finance S. S. Palani Manickam to expedite establishing a coconut complex at Pattukottai.

Speaking at a function, in which the Minister distributed identity cards to them for selling copra at Pattukottai on Saturday, Veerasenan of Ponnavarayankadu village said that the Chief Minister agreed to establish a coconut complex at Pattukottai and passed orders in 1996. But it had not come into existence so far. Ninteen acres of land has been identified for constructing the complex at Thacharodai.

“The file is now pending with the Agriculture Department. Moreover, there is a talk now to convert the project into a cold storage. Coconut farmers do not require cold storage, but drying yards for preparing copra. The project should not be altered”, he said.

He also said that it was better if the Government procured coconuts from farmers and not copra. Many small farmers could not spend for making their nuts into copra.

Mr. Veerasenan also pointed out that the present premises of Pattukottai Agriculture Produce Co-operative Sales Society, which procures copra from coconut farmers, was too inadequate to handle the lorries and stocks come to it. Marketing committee’s yard can be used for procuring copra.

Abdul Vahab of Adhirampattinam said that copra has been brought to Nagapattinam in a ship from Indonesia and the Philippines in the name of coconut oil cake. It is used for preparing oil and sold in the market. Because of this price of copra and coconut oil here has been affected. Import of copra should be banned.

Siranjeevi, also a farmer, pleaded for solving the problems the coconut farmers face in getting identity cards for selling copra. The Minister assured to do the needful.

Sivaji, Joint Registrar of Co-operatives, said that the Pattukottai Agriculture Produce Co-operative Sales Society has been procuring copra from April 17. Identity cards have been issued to 340 farmers. So far 406 tonnes of copra has been procured from 175 farmers.

A sum of Rs. 1.80 crores has been disbursed to farmers.

The District Collector, M. S. Shanmugham, asked the VAOs to issue identity cards as early as possible to farmers. One hundred and thirty five petitions have been received at the meeting from farmers.

The Minister handed over identity cards to four farmers and amount to the tune of nearly Rs. two lakhs to four other farmers who sold copra to the society.

N. R. Rangarajan, MLA, Priya, Chairperson of Pattukottai Municipality, A. R. Marimuthu and Enadhi Balasubramanian, former MLAs, participated in the function.

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