Uzhavar sandhais on the wane

‘Uzhavar

Sandhais ,’ or farmers’ markets, seem to have lost their customer base in the city’s southern suburbs due to a combination of factors, including a fall in land under cultivation.

Of the two markets in Pallavaram Municipality, the one in Nellipet has been shut due to poor patronage from the farmers. Whereas the one in Cantonment Pallavaram and another in Keelkattalai are clearly not enjoying the patronage they used to.

Among the southern suburbs, the first uzhavar sandhai was established at Pallavaram in 2001. Initially, it had a roaring business with an uninterrupted supply of farm fresh vegetables, especially from the Pushpagiri – Padappai belt, about 15 km from Tambaram.

Babu Baskaran of Zamin Royapettah says that the

uzhavar sandhai was inaugurated with great fanfare. But due to a decline in land under cultivation, the number of farmers has come down. Moreover, the retail vegetable stores owners have formed a network to collect the vegetables from the remaining farmers’ doorsteps.

While the market in Cantonment sells less than five tonnes of produce daily, the sales at Keelkattalai touches two to three tonnes only every day, says a farmer from Kovilampakkam.

Only a few patrons remain. One such, S. Lakshmi of Madipakkam, says she prefers to shop in the uzhavar sandhai as they offer quality vegetables at a nominal price. “Normally, such markets sell locally-grown produce. Here, I also get to buy veggies from hilly regions such as carrots and potatoes sold at least Rs.3 less than the other retailers,” she said.

Agriculture Department staff said they have renewed efforts to popularise the uzhavar sandhais .