MADURAI: The fragile situation of farmers is coming to light from the fragrant jasmine fields. Corona virus lockdown and curfew has deeply hurt the livelihood of those dependent on jasmine flower sales. With no market now, many families are now looking up to ‘farmer’ Chief Minister Mr.Edappadi K.Palaniswami for relief and compensation to overcome the crisis caused by Corona.
A visit to Thirumangalam area in Madurai district on 10th April 2020 tells the sordid tale of jasmine farmers.
“Actually this is the right season for us…..during summer and in these months, there will be many marriages, functions, festivals, ceremonies etc. But that is all gone now. Where to send our flowers and where to sell. There are no markets and no buyers,” a farmer Sundar Raj near Thirumangalam had lamented.
He says that only little quantities are being sent to perfume manufacturing units and farmers are not getting even the production cost. “Our CM is a farmer. We request him to announce relief assistance to jasmine farmers. We suffered losses because flowers could not be sent to other markets which used to give is very good demand every year this time,” farmer Sundar Raj says with anguish stnading in his jasmine flower field.
