A tribal community has obtained organic certification for their farm produce.
Speaker M. Appavu and Minister for Industries Thangam Thennarasu handed over the organic certification to the women representatives of Kani Tribes from the Kani settlements here on Saturday.
Though the Kani Tribes, living in Agasthiyar, Servalar, Chinna Mayilaar and Periya Mayilaar hamlets, situated near Servalar and the Papansam dams and the Injikuzhi, situated deep inside dense forests 14 km beyond Papanasam Dam, cultivate a range of farm produce for the past several decades by using organic manure and natural pesticides, they could not reap the benefits of selling organic products.
The Kani Tribes grow lemon, banana, jack fruit, tapioca, cashew, coconut, green gram, pepper, pineapple, mango, almond and collect minor forest produce like honey, amla, bay leaves, fig, jamun etc. to be sold to their customers visiting their hamlets regularly. They strictly avoid chemical fertilizers and the harmful pesticides, all being liberally used by the farmers for maximizing their yield.
However, the Kani Tribes could not get the right price for their produce as they do not have organic certification issued by competent bodies for selling their produce with ‘organic product’ certificate.
As Mr. Vishnu, while meeting the Kani Tribes recently for handing over a mini cargo vehicle for transporting their farm produce to the consumers on the plains, promised them to get the much-needed certificate, steps were taken to get the authorization. On behalf of the Mayilar Kani Kudiyiruppu Eco Development Committee, the application seeking organic certification was submitted to National Programme for Organic Production Standards and Swiss Organic Farming Ordinance.
Following inspection by Coimbatore-based Tamil Nadu Organic Certification Department, the certification has been done for a period of one year (from June 25, 2021 to June 24, 2022). The validity of the certificate depends on the continued compliance with the required standards and is subject to annual surveillance inspections.
A team of officials from Department of Agriculture, led by Joint Director of Agriculture Gajendra Pandian facilitated this exercise that made the job of getting organic certification easier.
Mr. Vishnu has provided the Kani Tribes a spacious shop in ‘Pon Bharani Complex’ near the Vaeinthaankulam new bus-stand to sell their produce to the public.
