Farmers cry foul after official diktat on one-year storage of turmeric

COIMBATORE: Turmeric farmers storing their produce at the regulated market centre run by the Agri Business and Market Department were being forced to sell their goods within a year despite the market condition not being conducive. While farmers found the directive to be unfair, officials claimed they had valid reasons to implement the same.

After Erode district, turmeric cultivation was prominent in Coimbatore. Post harvest, farmers usually stored their goods in the regulated market and sold it through the auctions held on Monday and Tuesday every week.

The market centres at Ramanathapuram and Thondamathur each had a storing capacity of 2,100 tonnes. Farmers were charged 10 paise per quintal per day for the storage. The farmers typically hold the stock for over  a year in hopes that the prices may rise. However, the farmers were now being put on a spot with the centre forcing them to sell their goods without delay.

K Kandhakumar, a farmer from Valukkupparai, had 40 sacks – each weighing 65 kg – of turmeric stored at the Ramanathapuram centre since 2016. A week ago, an official from the department called him in and asked him to sell his goods immediately. He  had been holding out to get a decent profit.

With the price of turmeric ranging between `7,500 and `8,100 now, he was bound to incur a loss. However, with officials directing him to make the sale at the earliest, he was left with little choice. He wanted them to allow him to keep the produce till he was able to get a better supportive price for it.

Youth wing secretary of farmers association (non political) A Karthick Krishnakumar, said, “Not just Kandhakumar, many farmers who were storing their produce for over a year were instructed to make immediate sale. We have not seen such a practice before.”  

When contacted, secretary of Agri Business and Market Department G Chandrasekar said, “As per rule, the produce can be stored for a maximum period of one year. Farmers have to sell it within that time as we have to provide space for other farmers too. Besides, the quality of turmeric will start deteriorating after a year. Considering all these aspects, we have asked them to make sale now.”