more-in P. Damodaran, a farmer of Mukasihanumanpalli village of the Modakurichi block in Erode district, has been growing turmeric and vegetables for years. He has begun wearing a different hat too – director of the Modakurichi Collective Farming Producers Company Limited, an entity that was registered a week ago. R. Subramanian of Enjampalli in the same block and S. Rajendran of Ellayakondanpalayam village have also joined hands with Mr. Damodaran to steer the affairs of the company, which has 10 directors totally. All the three, belonging to the category of small and marginal farmers (owning two-and-a-half acres of wet land or five acres of dry land), appear to be in a state of excitement as they and seven others will meet formally for the first time on Thursday as directors of the firm in Modakurichi . An important feature of the company is that the entity has been promoted by 1,000 small and marginal farmers from 10 clusters of villages over three blocks of the Erode district. “In terms of concept, this is nothing new. Over the last 15 years, 320 companies were floated by small and marginal farmers in the State under different programmes of the Centre or State government. But, what is special about the Modakurichi firm is that it will receive production support from the State government, in addition to what the other companies received — equity support and assistance for meeting management cost,” points out E. Vadivel, former Dean of the Horticulture Department in the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) and now consultant for the Collective Farming scheme of the State government. The State government’s support means that a fund of ?50 lakh will be at the disposal of the firm. “Using this money, we can buy machinery such as tractors or any other high cost agricultural implement,” explains Mr. Rajendran, who holds a double post-graduation degree. At present, the farmers have to take on rent tractors, which are, sometimes, not available when we need them. “I do not think we will face this problem in future, once we, as a firm, own tractors,” says Mr. Subramanian. Apart from realising the fruits of collective farming, each farmer has his own plans for his village. Mr. Damodaran is thinking of setting up an outlet to market produce while Mr. Rajendran is mulling getting dealership for agri-inputs. The Modakurichi firm is not the only such organisation that Tamil Nadu is going to have. At least 100 such companies are likely to spring up in the next two months. “Our original idea is to have 139 farmer producers’ organisations initially. As agriculturists will get greater benefits through farmer producers’ companies, we are going to encourage them to set up the firms,” says a senior official of the State Agriculture Department, and adds that ?100 crore has been earmarked for the scheme of collective scheme. If all their ideas fructify through their firm, the Damodarans, Rajendrans and Subramanians of the Erode district are confident that agriculture too can be profitable again.

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