With Horticorp delaying payment, farmers start their own vegetable market at Kanthalloor

In Idukki, winter vegetable farmers have launched a 'Chilla' model farm produce auction centre due to Horticorp failing to pay them on time. The new market, exclusive to tribal people, opens Thursdays and farmers are paid a day after the auction.The farmers have decided not to provide vegetables to Horticorp this Onam season. A farmer sold 39kg of butter beans at ₹80/kg and will be paid on Friday.

With the State government agency Horticorp failing to pay them on time, winter vegetable farmers at Kanthalloor in Idukki have launched a ‘Chilla’ model farm produce auction centre. The new initiative was launched by the Kanthalloor Winter Vegetable Farmers Society on August 17. Chilla, an exclusive tribal market under the Marayur forest division, opens on Thursdays to sell the tribespeople’s farm produce.

Society secretary Sojan P.G. said the new market would function every Thursday. “The market is running successfully. Vendors from Kerala and Tamil Nadu sell their produce here. Each farmer will be paid a day after the auction,” said Mr. Sojan, adding that the society will provide farm machinery to farmers with the assistance of Honda.

“Horticorp is yet to give the ₹8 lakh due to the society in the 2017-19 period. This Onam season, the Kanthalloor farmers decided not to provide vegetables to the government agency,” he said. “Our plan is to develop a Chilla model tribal market like in Marayur that sells all produce from farmers.”

Manoharan, a farmer from Kanthalloor, said that on Thursday, he sold 39 kilograms of butter beans through the new market. “The beans were sold at ₹80 a kg. The payment will be credited on Friday. If farmers are paid on time and are provided a proper market, they will produce more vegetables,” said the farmer.

K. Jayaprakash, president of the Vegetable Farmer’s Society in Vattavada, said the panchayat decided not to give vegetables to Horticorp this Onam season due to payment delay. “Not a single farmer from Vattavada will sell vegetables to Horticorp. Our society also plans to open a Kanthalloor model vegetable market,” said Mr. Jayaprakash.

Horticorp Idukki district manager Pamela Vimalraj told The Hindu that dues of the farmers in Kanthalloor and Vattavada had been cleared. “Horticorp officials have checked the farmers’ bank details,”said Ms. Vimalraj. “Now the farmers can directly register under Horticorp, instead of through the societies. Over 150 farmers in Idukki have already registered and provide quality vegetables,” she said.

However, in Kanthalloor and Vattavada farmers mix good vegetables with poor quality ones, resulting in the entire lot getting damaged. This causes huge losses to the government agency,” she said.