It has been over a month since the State government set up coconut procurement centres to help growers, who have been facing severe downfall in the price of coconut. Three such centres were set up in Hassan district and surprisingly, none has procured even one quintal of coconut so far.
Hundreds of farmers had enquired with the officials about the procedures to sell their produce, but none bothered to bring coconuts to the centres.
The Karnataka State Cooperative Market Federation had set up centres in Hassan, Gandasi and Channarayapatna. They began to function on July 1, ahead of the monsoon session of the State legislature. The government announced a support price of Rs. 1,600 per quintal, when the price in the open market was anywhere between Rs. 900 to Rs. 1,100.
Mr. Rangaswamy, District Manager of KSCMF, told The Hindu on Thursday: “So far, no farmer has brought coconuts to the centres. We have kept the centres open in all three places.”
The procedure to sell coconuts to the market federation was lengthy. The farmers had to obtain identity cards from the respective village accountants and certify the crop from Horticulture Department and approach the centre. Quality experts from the Horticulture Department would grade coconuts before purchasing. The KSCMF officers purchase the products only if the quality matches their standards.
“Farmers are hesitant to carry coconuts to the centre as it is a lengthy process. Even after taking coconuts to the centre, one is not sure of getting the fixed amount as the quality experts might reject the produces,” said S.B. Vijay, a coconut grower in Channarayapatna taluk.
Mr. Rangaswamy, the officer, said with the government’s move to purchase at support price, the price in the open market has also gone up a little. “The farmers are getting around Rs. 1,400 to Rs. 1,500 per quintal. They feel it is more beneficial to sell their produces at the prevailing rate in the market than carrying coconuts to the centres,” he added.
