TIRUCHI
A cold storage unit of 100 metric tonnes capacity, established by the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Agri Business about four years ago in Thuraiyur for the benefit of cultivators of vegetables and fruits, is under utilisation of a private departmental store for the last two years, as a few farmers, producers, and companies in the area had expressed inability to operate it on the grounds that it was unviable.
Though the farmers had initially expressed consternation over diversion of the utility of a project meant for their welfare, they subsequently thought it fit not to make an issue out of it with a realisation that the infrastructure must not be kept in an idle state indefinitely.
According to an official of the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Agri Business, the departmental store is paying monthly rent of ₹ 11,025 to the Tiruchi Market Committee.
The Tiruchi Market Committee, sources said, had, two years back, fixed a monthly rent of ₹ 10,000 for any farmers producer company that would come forward to run the cold storage unit, before deciding to hand over the facility to the departmental store.
On their part, the farmers producers companies were not prepared to run the unit as the cost they would be incurring towards rent and operational expenses such as electricity and maintenance would make their venture unviable.
“Of course, the need for a cold storage is felt in the area by the cultivators of perishable products. But then, we feared incurring losses as the unit has to be in running mode round-the-clock even if the patronage is meagre,” a farmer said, explaining that the operational costs would be the same whether or not the cold storage is fully or partially utilised.
“We were prepared for losses at the outset, but had to back out as there was no certainty of attaining a break-even stage even one year later,” he further explained, seeking to justify the request made by cultivators for relaxation in rent and subsidy for power.
However, the Tiruchi Market Committee had expressed inability to fulfil their request citing the norms in place.
“The infrastructure, for sure, is generating revenue for the department, but its actual purpose is not served. For, the cultivators of fruits and vegetables continue to remain at the mercy of middlemen, particularly in situations of glut in production,” another farmer said.
