Tamil Nadu : Farmers complain about falling prize of maize in Virudhunagar district
Maize farmers in Virudhunagar have urged the state government to ensure a procurement price of ₹2,500 per quintal after market rates dropped to ₹1,600–₹1,700 during harvest. Farmer groups are demanding direct purchase centres to protect growers cultivating maize across nearly 50,000 acres in the district.
Complaining that the procurement price of maize has drastically fallen to ₹1,600 to ₹1,700 a quintal after the harvest in Virudhunagar district, Southern Districts Farmers Association has sought the State Government’s intervention in assuring ₹2,500 per quintal for the maize farmers.
In a statement, its Virudhunagar district secretary, R. Ram Pandian, said that farmers had cultivated maize in around 50,000 acres in the district. The price of maize was hovering around ₹2,200 to ₹2,500 per quintal in the beginning of the cultivation season.
This attracted the farmers towards maize cultivation, thus increasing its coverage.
The harvest has been going on for the last two months. Though mostly small and marginal farmers were involved in maize cultivation, traders have been buying the maize for a lower price of ₹1,600 to ₹1,700 a quintal.
Hence, the State Government should open direct purchase centres for maize like the DPCs for paddy and buy the maize for ₹2,500.
Mr. Ram Pandian pointed out that the traders were purchasing maize from the farmers in the neighbouring Thoothukudi district for as high as ₹2,000, the farmers of Virudhunagar district were suffering a loss of ₹300 to ₹400 a quintal.
The Collector should convene a meeting of farmers and traders for ensuring that the farmers got higher price for their produce.
To Read more about Maize News continue reading Agriinsite.com
Source : The Hindu
