Glory lily farmers cut out middlemen to stabilize prices

Farmers

of the flaming red and yellow

glory lily

have decided to not to let

middlemen

get away with manipulating prices of the

flower

. And this time they are not waiting for authorities to take action.

Around 1,050 members of the Tamil Nadu Kanvali Kizhangu Vivasaigal Sangam, who have stocked up near Dharapuram, say they will sell them only if they are offered more than Rs2,500 a kg.

The flower, belonging to the gloriosa superba series, is raised on nearly 5,000 hectares in 12 districts including Tirupur, Dindigul, Karur, Trichy, Nagapattinam and Ariyalur, with around 1,200 tonnes produced each season. The seeds, said to possess medicinal properties, are procured by many companies which extract the juice and export it to various countries.

"Since the flower is cultivated only in Tamil Nadu, it has good demand in the international market. Two years ago, the seeds were bought for Rs3,000-Rs3,500 a kg from farmers. But middlemen managed to manipulate the price and brought them down to Rs1,350 a kg this season. Though pharmaceutical companies are ready to give good prices, middlemen are working to take away benefit of farmers by buying for very low prices," said Pala Ragupathi, chief organiser, Tamil Nadu Kanvali Kizhangu Vivasaigal Sangam.

"Our association has been working for the farmers for the last one decade. We learned there is a mafia behind the middlemen. In 2014, the price crashed to Rs700 a kg before our efforts brought it up to Rs3,500. Now, it has dropped again."

Ragupathi said raising the flower would cost Rs5 lakh-Rs6 lakh per acre in the first year. "With the plant able to produce flowers for five years, production cost drops to Rs1 lakh-Rs2 lakh for the next four years. If climate conditions are not good, especially if there is heavy rain, the crop is damaged. There was rain this season and production may drop by 30%," he said.

Association president P Lingusamy said they had been urging the Centre and state to help check price fluctuation. "We have been insisting that the Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board notify glory lily so that it can procure the crop and regulate the price. Farmers can take loans by pledging their crops. But no steps have been taken despite then Dindigul collector writing to the government."

"Now," said Ragupathi, "we have created our own set-up, similar to direct procurement center of TNSAMB in Kulathupalayam near Dharapuram, where seeds can be stored up to two years. Over 300 tonnes of seeds are stocked."

A senior horticulture department official said farmers’ unity is the key when prices drop as there will be price variation between fields, let alone between seasons. "If they can resist the temptation of selling the seeds for low prices, they can get a good price. It is up to the government to decide on notifying the crop."


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