Private shops in Virudhunagar are selling fertilizers at high prices, complain farmers

Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association on Friday complained that private shops in Virudhunagar district were selling fertilizers at prices higher than the maximum retail prize and also forcing the farmers to buy unwanted goods from them.

The association district secretary, V. Murugan, said this while participating in a discussion during the monthly farmers grievances redress meeting, chaired by district Collector N. O. Sukhaputra, held here on Friday.

He alleged that the private shops were not issuing proper bills to the farmers for the sold goods. Besides, the farmers also faced shortage of fertilizers in some section of the district.

He complained that the officials concerned had failed to plan stocking of adequate quantity of fertilizers.

An officials promised to set up special team to monitor the fertilizer availablity and its sale.

Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam district president, N. A. Ramachandra Raja said that the new insurance scheme that offered compensation based on the extent of damage to coconut crop would be beneficial to the farmers and it should be implemented soon in the district.

Another farmer, Alagarsamy complained that an irrigation canal was blocked in the process of construction work of the Ring Road for Sivakasi. Despite repeated petitions given to the Highways Department, no action has been taken to retrieve the canal so far, he said. The Collector promised to look into the issue.

Farmers also sought setting up of direct paddy procurement centres in Watrap taluk as the harvest has started in the taluk.