PERAMBALUR: Farmers have called upon the district administration to re-open the Uzhavar Santhai in Perambalur, which was shut at the end of April following the increase in corona cases in the district. They said that without the market they could not compete with traders in the villages.
Earlier officials allowed farmers to sell their vegetables on their vehicles in villages. Here they could show their Uzhavar card if any curfew enforcing personnel questioned them. But the farmers said that they could not compete with traders bringing a truckload of vegetables with them.
B Kumar, a farmer who had permission to sell at Uzhavar Santhai said, “After the market closed, authorities did not even give us a direction to sell vegetables in villages. But they have provided e-Passes to traders. Later we were allowed to sell, but as the traders had proper permits, police allowed them and stopped us. Moreover, the traders came to the villagers before us. They had a lot of produce and more vehicles.”
P Selvam, a farmer, said, “I can only carry a few vegetables on my two-wheeler. This does not even cover my petrol cost. If I sell my produce at Uzhavar Santhai, I can get `500 per day.”
The farmers also said that they did not have all the vegetables available. They said that in Uzhavar Sandhai, people went to other farmers to buy what they needed but in villages they were ignored due to lack of variety.
Selvam added, “Officials chase us away if we sell vegetables on the street. How many vegetables can we carry on a two-wheeler? If the market does not open, all our produce would rot on the field.”
Perambalur Horticulture Deputy Director S Singaram said, “We have talked to the Collector. We will open the market soon.”