The RS Puram uzhavar sandhai will soon function as an evening uzhavar sandhai between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., an official of the Department of Agriculture Marketing said on Wednesday.
As per a Government Order issued to the Collectors in June, one of the markets in each district will be selected to run as evening uzhavar sandhai on a trial basis. It will be to sell value-added agriculture products.
The RS Puram uzhavar sandhai currently houses 170 shops, of which seven are allotted to farmer producer organisations (FPOs), eight to self-help groups and six to farmers societies. Roughly 4,800 customers purchase goods from this market each day, generating over ₹13 lakh revenue for 121 farmers daily.
In the evening market, the government-supported FPOs will sell value-added products (masala powders), dal, oil and other grocery items, the district agriculture marketing department deputy director K. Sundaravadivelu told The Hindu. Currently, they sell such items during the day on a small-scale.
About 15 FPOs in the district have, so far, evinced interest in the evening market at RS Puram .
For example, the FPO in Mettupalayam produces banana powder, and curry leaf oil (that is currently exported to foreign nations), which will be sold at the evening market, he said.
Further, FPOs from other districts, including Tiruppur, Ooty, Namakkal, Salem, Thoothukudi, Paramagudi, and Ramanathapuram, make a variety of value-added items that can be purchased by FPOs here and sold for better prices, the official said. The administration has, so far, spent ₹3-4 lakh for setting up basic amenities like street lights for the evening sandhai, Mr. Sundaravadivelu stated.
The evening market in RS Puram will be opened by Collector G.S. Sameeran when the Chief Minister flags off the same in Chennai. Based on the success here, the plan will be implemented at all the other uzhavar sandhais - Mettupalayam, Vadavalli, Singanallur, Sundarapauram, Kurichi, Sulur and Pollachi.
Revival of Kurichi sandhai
Mr. Sundaravadivelu added that the State has ordered re-opening of the uzhavar sandhai at Kurichi, which had been closed in 2010 citing low footfall. The Kurichi sandhai was also expected to be unveiled by the CM. “Renovation works amounting to ₹60 lakh are being carried out. The CM will open this sandhai when he visits the district to distribute welfare benefits,” he said.
