Farmers cultivating flowers in Salem district have urged the State government to provide an e-auction facility to prevent loss and to keep flower prices stable.
Farmers cultivating flowers in Panamarathupatti, Veerapandi, Ayothiyapattinam, Kootathupatti, Veeranam, Poosaripatti, Vazhapadi, Jari Kondalamapatti, Attur, and Mallur in the district bring the flowers to the Salem market on a daily basis and the prices are fixed based on demand. They allege that mediators intervened in fixing the price of the flowers and demanded an e-auction facility in Salem district.
Salem district president of the Coordination Committee of All Farmers Association of Tamil Nadu, G. Thangavel, said that in Salem district, arali flower (Indian oleander) was cultivated on more than 7,000 acres, especially in Panamarathupatti. Several other varieties of flowers were cultivated on around 5,000 acres. As arali was cultivated throughout the year, the price of the flower remained unstable. The mediators joined hands and procured the flowers and stored them in air-conditioned godowns and sell them when prices went up, he alleged. As arali should be picked every day, farmers had no option but to sell at the price fixed by the mediators. Last week, one kg of Arali fell to ₹30, Mr. Thangavel added.
He added that the production cost, including packing and transporting one kg of arali flower was ₹60. So if the price did not go below ₹100, it would be profitable for the farmers. On the lines of the National Agriculture Market (e-Nam) available for agricultural products, an e-auction facility should be provided for flower farmers in the Salem district to keep the price stable and save the livelihood of over 5,000 flower-cultivating farmers in the district, Mr. Thangavel added.
Published - March 14, 2025 07:21 pm IST
