Tamil Nadu - Erode

‘Harvest cane immediately’

Staff Reporter

Recovery value declining, say farmers

ERODE: Sugar mills in the district must immediately harvest crops and not inflict any further damage to sugarcane farmers – this was the prominent demand of a majority of farmers who attended the farmers’ grievance meeting at the Collectorate on Thursday.

On the majority of fields, sugarcane of 16 months remains uncut, lamented farmers, who pointed out that after the tenth month the crop started losing its sugar content – recovery rate in common parlance.

This – they said – resulted in farmers getting meagre returns, if not no returns. “Sugar mills refuse to harvest crops standing on over 30,000 acres of registered farmers, which by the day are losing their recovery value,” said S. Nallasamy, head of the Lower Bhavani Project Farmers’ Association.

He pointed out that farmers were forced to water the standing crops, resulting in increased expenditure and delay in going in for the next crop. He sought the district administration’s intervention to solve the issue.

T. Subbu, secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayeegal Sangam, warned that if the sugar mills continued to postpone sugarcane cutting, farmers, already put to a lot of distress, would be forced to resort to methods their counterparts in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra followed – suicide.

He then highlighted the poor quality of fodder supplied by the Aavin, Erode. “The quality is poor, which results in decrease in milk yield. This has got to stop and the quality improved.”

Mr. Subbu also spoke about how quarries operating near LBP canal threatened to destroy the canal and the pollution afflicted Kalingarayan Canal and dependent lands.

R. Mohan, head of farmers of Mettur West Bank Canal ayacut, wanted the Agriculture Engineering Department to come up with better equipment and gadgets.

S. Periasamy, district president, Tamil Nadu Vivasayeegal Sangam, wanted the district administration to have a thorough re-look at the proposed turmeric complex.

He alleged that the private traders, who have promised to give 13 acres, have in fact planned much less.

The complex built with support from the Government should benefit all and not a few, he said, and demanded the inclusion of the regulated market, Erode, and two turmeric cooperative societies with more, contiguous land allocation.

V. M. Velayudam of Kalingarayan farmers’ association wanted an immediate, permanent solution to pollution.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu