Islanders demand intervention of Administration : Cunning Business Connivance; Black gram and green dal hits Rs. 200 per kg in Diglipur

DJ Venkatesh
Port Blair, Feb 17: A prominent Pulses Mill at Diglipur in North Andaman is on the verge of closure due to official apathy. Murugan Dal Mill at Sitanagar, which started operations in the year 2010, was once a major support for hundreds of pulses farmers of the area who got their produce processed at the Mill for further trade in the local market.
But after few local traders join hands with Chennai based pulses traders, majority of the pulses produced in tonnes in the North Andaman area was purchased and processed at Chennai.
As a result of the plot, black gram and green dal which was once available in the local market for Rs 60 and Rs 50 respectively, is currently sold at over Rs 200/- per kilo in the local markets. Various agencies of the Administration like ANIIDCO, ANCOFED too didn’t come to the rescue of the pulses cultivators as they are paid paltry prices on purchase of the produce.
“Farmers in Diglipur in North Andaman produce more than 1000 MTs of Black and Green Gram every year. Earlier, the farmers used to process the pulses at Murugan Dal Mill and vended it in the local market at reasonable prices.
After some time, some local traders connived with rich Chennai based business and started purchasing the entire produce at marginal prices. The pulses are then processed in some parts of Chennai and sent back in the retail local markets here.
In the current scheme of things, islanders have to purchase dal at more than Rs 200/- per kilo whereas if the Murugan Dal Mill was in operation, it would have been available for just Rs 60 or 50/-,” say some farmers of DIglipur.
If agencies like ANCOFED and ANIIDCO endeavour to procure pulses directly from farmers in Diglipur on Minimum Support Price, it would benefit both the farmers and consumers alike. Instead of processing the pulses at Chennai, the services of Murugan Dal Mill should be utilised as it will ensure available of pulses at just Rs 90-95/- per kilo.
ANIIDCO and ANCOFED have warehouses at Keralapuram and are the best agencies to be involved in the trade of pulses. Availability of pulses at reasonable prices will be huge respite for islanders. Besides, utilising the Murugan Dal Mill will also generated employment for more than 30 local residents of the area,” say some others.