As everywhere in India, agriculture is the mainstay of the people of Tamil Nadu. 56% of the farming population in the state consists of agricultural labourers and it is from this section that MFI counts most of its SHGs.

Large numbers of them take up the sale of cash crops and their by-products as a source of livelihood. Chillies, vegetables such a brinjal, ladysfinger, different kinds of gourds, beans and onions at Koilpatti, nendharam (a variety of banana) at Nagapattinam, cashew and jackfruit at Panruti, and banana leaf and fibre, coconut and coir everywhere in the state especially around Tiruchirapalli and Madurai and loose flowers by the kilo comprise the majority of the agri products sold by MFI SHGs.

Most of these are currently sold in nearby wholesale centres, but arrangements can be made for large-scale procurement, collection and supply to urban markets.

Vegetables
For example, around Oddanchatram between Palani and Madurai, several SHG members grow vegetables for sale to wholesale agents or act as sales agents themselves. They sell at daily rates - only onions are auctioned. The agent takes a 10% commission from the SHG farmer-member. The retailer in turn gives him 3% of the price at which he buys the produce. The competitive business is well organized and notable for its fair practices.

Flowers
Much the same system prevails in the flower markets at nearby Nilakottai, where loose flowers are sold by weight, for use in places of worship and for adornment: varieties of malli (jasmine), panneer malli or vellai sampangi (tuberoses), kanakambaram (crossandra), vaadamalli (globe amaranth or bachelor’s button) saamandhi (marigold), aromatic maru sprigs (Egyptian maru) and vaasanai sigappu rojaa (sweet smelling red Damascene roses).


Note: Figures quoted are approximations and liable to change

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