Singampunari,–The farmer’s market operating in Singampunari has turned into a workshop.
A farmer’s market was built in this municipality in 2009. A change of regime occurred before the inauguration and was shelved in the next regime.
Again following DMK’s ascension to the government post, the farmers’ market was opened last year and more than 20 farmers were given identity cards to run shops here.
Traders ran more shops than farmers.
As it was the plan of former Chief Minister Karunanidhi, DMK was giving various incentive gifts to those who came to buy vegetables there to continue running the farmer’s market.
In this case, all the shops that were operating here for a few days have gone back to the big shop street as a roadside shop. Only one vendor keeps the name of the farmers market alive by keeping a shop.
Officials said:
Farmers could not sell the vegetables at the price quoted by the Agriculture Marketing Department. So they went outside saying that they cannot set up shop here, they said.
But people have complained that some people are not interested in sending traders and farmers to the farmers’ market as the municipality collects tax for roadside shops on Periyakadai Road.