The tapioca farmers of Attur block have urged the Government to take steps for the functioning of all sago manufacturing units in Attur block to ensure fair price for the farming community.
The representatives of the farmers’ associations submitted a petition in this regard to Edappadi K. Palanisamy, State Highways and Minor Ports Minister, on Saturday.
The petition said that the tapioca crop raised in a large area was ready for harvesting. At present a majority of sago manufacturing units in the block are not functioning due to the High Court order to the Food Production Department to initiate action against adulteration in manufacturing sago. Only a handful of big units are functioning. The tapioca which was marketed at Rs. 7,500 per tonne last year, is fetching less than Rs. 4,000 now. This was mainly due to the non-functioning of all the sago units.
The farmers have raised the crop after taking lot of risk and getting credit from various sources. Lower price for the crop will badly hit them, the petition said and demanded the Minister to use his good office to ensure the functioning of all the sago manufacturing units.
Meanwhile, the office-bearers of the Attur Starch and Javvarisi Urpatthiyalargal Munnetra Nala Sangam, also called on the Minister and submitted a petition seeking steps for the functioning of all sago units in the small and medium sector.
Led by S. Doraisamy, its president, the Sangam presented a petition stating that its 350 and odd member units across the State were prepared to manufacture sago as per the norms of the Food Production Department. The Government should inform the safe production techniques, which the units were prepared to adopt, it said.
The representatives of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to the CPI (M) and Kariakovil Pasana Vivasayigal Sangam held discussion with the Attur Starch and Javvarisi Urpatthiyalargal Munnetra Nala Sangam on Saturday.
N. Krishnamoorthy, district deputy secretary of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, told The Hindu that the price of 74 kg of tapioca bag is a paltry Rs. 140 and is expected to go down further. This is unprecedented and is posing much hardship to tapioca farmers.
Due to the non-functioning of the sago mills in small and medium sector, there are no takers for tapioca and the future of farmers has become a big question mark. Only the functioning of all sago mills will ensure fair price for tapioca crop, Mr. Krishnamoorthy said and sought government’s intervention.
The Government should take a proper stand on this issue and help the farmers.
