Accompanied with 60 other farmers, six farmers of the Tamil Nadu Vivaisaigal Sangam in a protest poured litres of milk in front of an Aavin cooperative office at Veerapandi Pirivu.

“Aavin has reduced procurement by 50% and also reduced the payment for each litre claiming that fat content in milk is low. Since fat content is low, instead of paying the fixed Rs. 31 per litre, they pay us only Rs. 21 to Rs. 22 per litre,” said district president Eashwaran.

“This reduced payment also has been delayed for all farmers. Those who have one to two cows have outstanding payments of Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 25,000 and some farmers are yet to receive more than Rs. 60,000,” he added.

Aavin has reportedly claimed about low revenues for low procurement and delayed payments, while farmers informed that the hundreds of outlets belonging to Aavin in the district are functioning as tea shops instead of milk stores.

Yet another group of farmers have forwarded a petition to the collector, requesting the authorities to divert the high-tension power-line being laid from Virudhunagar to Coimbatore right over agriculture fields. This passing of high electric tension cables will drastically affect cultivation and productivity, they fear.