Periyanaickenpalayam-based Palamalai Farmer-Producer Organisaton has provided marketing support to 200 members of the Irular tribe organically cultivating minor millets, ragi and kambu in the nearby hilly terrain, by enrolling them as members.

Be it the organically cultivated agricultural produce, arappu (powdered dried leaves of Albizia amara tree), shikakai (soap pod) or honey, the farmers in about seven habitations are currently not getting the right price owing to marketing constraints.

“Earlier, they used to take the produce to residential localities on bicycles, and put up shops in shandies. But, of late, they struggle to find buyers and are forced to sell the produce directly to shops for a pittance. Hence, the intervention,” said Ranganathan, senior functionary of Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam and director of the business division of Palamalai Farmer Producer Company Limited.

Mr. Ranganathan was part of a committee constituted by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (Agricultural Marketing Division), Government of India, to study the functioning of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in Tamil Nadu and suggest remedial measures.

The tribal farmers have been provided with an outlet to showcase and sell their produce at a retail unit run by the Palamalai FPO, Mr. Ranganathan said.

With the addition of the 200 tribal farmers, the strength of the Palamalai FPO has gone up to 500. Every new member is required to buy 10 shares of ₹100 each. The amount, though nominal by general standards, is high for the tribal farmers. They have, nevertheless, come forward owing to the trust they have reposed in the founding members of the Palamalai FPO, and this has come in for appreciation from the officials of the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Agri Business, he said.

The advantage for consumers is that they get the opportunity to purchase organically cultivated produce at 70% of the cost they incur elsewhere, Mr. Ranganathan said.

The consumers stand to save on the 30% commission that middlemen make for taking the products to the consumers, Mr. Ranganathan said, adding: “The Palamalai FPO has put in place a mechanism to procure the produce from the tribal farmers and route back the returns, enabling them to save their time, energy and expenditure.”