‘Uzhavar Sandhai’ faces bleak future due to lack of special bus service from vegetable-producing villages

NGO Colony 'Uzhavar Sandhai' struggles without special bus services, hindering direct access for vegetable growers and consumers.

Due to absence of special bus services to carry vegetables from villages, the NGO Colony ‘Uzhavar Sandhai’ stares at a bleak future with just traders occupying the facility instead of growers.

Of the three farmers markets started initially in Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai, the facilities created at Maharaja Nagar and Melapalayam enjoy a roaring business, while the third at Kandigaiperi also records reasonably good business everyday. Since the residents of NGO Colony, largely housing middle class families, had to go to the farmers’ market either at Melapalayam or Maharaja Nagar, the new facility was created at NGO Colony in 2022.

When the market was opened on a spacious and highly accessible land on the busy Jeba Garden – Reddiyarpatti Road, it was expected that the facility would increase manifold the vegetable growers’ income with the families with high buying capacity patronising the market. However, the market cannot meet the demands of consumers for vegetables as the farmers do not come to the spot. Only the traders have occupied the market so far.

Even though the ‘Uzhavar Sandhai’ is situated advantageously on the road and a good number of government and private buses are being operated along the route, it is not connected directly with villages producing vegetables and fruits.

“Since the Maharaja Nagar, Melapalayam and Kandigaiperi farmers markets are connected by special buses coming from Sivanthipatti, Kuththukkal, Karungulam, Munneerpallam, Pettai, Alangulam, Surandai etc., all housing good number of vegetable growers, you can buy any of the 51 types of vegetables and 16 types of fruits directly from the farmers in these three markets. However, you cannot get all these vegetables at NGO Colony where only traders have their shops. This is due to lack of bus connectivity,” said a senior official of the Department of Agriculture.

It was then promised that the special buses carrying vegetables from the villages to the farmers’ market at Melapalayam and Maharaja Nagar would be extended up to NGO Colony ‘Uzhavar Sandhai’. Unfortunately, the promise is yet to be fulfilled, the official adds..

“If the NGO Colony ‘Uzhavar Sandhai’ is properly managed after ensuring proper bus connectivity for the farmers to bring their produce, this facility would have been one of the best farmers’ market in Tamil Nadu. Even though the buyers are coming regularly in large number to this market, they cannot buy the vegetables of their choice and have to be content with what is being sold here. Or, we have to go to Melapalaayam or Maharaja Nagar ‘Uzhavar Sandhai’ for buying the fruits or vegetables of our choice. If the special bus services carrying vegetables are extended to NGO Colony ‘Uzhavar Sandhai’ ahead of this ‘Pongal’ celebration, it will be of win-win situation for both the buyers and the growers,” says A. Swaminathan, a retired government employee from NGO Colony.