‘Ready to manufacture sago as per Food Safety Department norms’

The Attur Starch and Javvarisi Urparthiyalargal Munnetra Nala Sangam said that its members are ready to manufacture sago and starch as per the Food Safety Department norms and pleaded for State Government’s guidance in this regard.

The recent Madras High Court judgment that sago which failed the tests conducted by the Sagoserve to find out the mixing of chemicals in its production should be handed over to the Food Safety Department and also slapping a ban on the sale of wet starch, has badly hit about 350 sago manufacturing units in the medium and small scale sector in seven districts, S. Doraisamy, president of the Sangam said.

He said that tapioca skin was removed manually till a few years ago.

Later, due to paucity of manpower, the sago units introduced peeling machines for the removal of skin. Sometime, chemicals had to be used for the removal of dirt. This technique of using chemicals had already been done away with by the sago units.

On a petition filed R. Chandrasekaran, secretary of the Kalkurichi Vellalapatti Vivasayigal Munnetra Sangam, the Madras High Court had passed the above order, following which all the 350 and odd sago manufacturing units have suspended production since September 7.

Mr. Doraisamy said that taking advantage of the court order a few major sago manufacturing units alone were involved in the manufacture of sago and starch and are making big profit at the cost of small and medium units.

He said that the small and medium sago units are prepared to manufacture the sago and starch without mixing any chemicals and as per the food safety department norms.

The Government should introduce a chemical-free manufacturing process and the sago units are fully prepared to adopt this technique.

The present situation has not only affected the medium and small sago units, but also the entire tapioca farming community. This is the harvesting period and the continuation of the stalemate will only worsen the situation, he added.

Mr. Doraisamy said that a meeting of the sago unit owners of Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, Erode, Tiruchi, Perambalur and Villupuram districts was held at Attur on Monday.

The meeting decided to stage a day long hunger strike agitation in front of the Sagoserve in the city soon to highlight the problems confronting the medium and small sago manufacturing units and demanding the government to ensure their smooth functioning as usual, he said.