Coconut farmers in the lurch

DINDIGUL Palanisamy can be seen regularly pushing his cart loaded with tender coconuts in the periph

Palanisamy can be seen regularly pushing his cart loaded with tender coconuts in the peripheral areas abutting Dindigul corporation limits. But, he is no vendor but a farmer who has about 40 trees in his land. Farm economics makes sense to him, only as he is able to cut the nuts without employing labour and transport it to the city to sell the produce. Otherwise, he says that coconut farming would only land him into debt as there is no profit.

In the early 1980’s and 1990’s coconuts were being procured by middlemen from the farmers at a rate of ₹ 8 to ₹ 10 per coconut. Even today, the rate remains the same but the cost incurred by the farmer has multiplied tremendously.

According to R. Munisamy, a progressive farmer from Iyyampalayam, right now it is the middlemen who are making a killing. “Though, they procure coconuts from the fields at a rate of ₹ 10 if it is of a good size, the same is sold to oil making units in Erode and other places at a cost of ₹ 25 per coconut. But, for us the cost of farming is much more,” he says and adds that even a climber demands ₹ 25 for each tree.

“When we take the cost of paying workers to maintain the farm and the amount incurred by way of fertilizers etc, we are left with very minimum profit,” he points out.

Professor M. Rajaram of MVM College in Dindigul says that the State government can help the coconut farmers to a great extent. Extending the concept of minimum support price for coconuts would help small and marginal farmers and prevent them from being exploited by the middlemen.

“Why is the government selling imported palm oil in fair price shops, when we can give an impetus to our farmers by selling coconut oil. Why not even sell coconuts in ration shops, for it is an essential item in all households,” he says.

The State government had announced in 2018 that it would come up with a policy on tapping neera, but after that there has been nothing to show on the ground, Mr. Rajaram said.