Khammam: Chilli farmers on agitation path over falling prices

The protest continued for over two hours and farmers insisted on the visit of Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao

Khammam: All is not well with chilli farmers in Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao’s own district, Khammam.

Chilli farmers took to the path of agitation in the Khammam Agriculture Market on Friday over a fall in prices leading to tension in the market. They accused market officials, commission agents and traders of colluding in reducing the prices and thus looting the farmers.Over 200 farmers staged demonstrations at the market’s main gate, inside the market yard and laid siege to the market secretary’s office. They shouted slogans against the officials and traders while demanding Minister Nageswara Rao to visit the market to address the problem.

---

The protest continued for over two hours and farmers insisted on the visit of the Minister. Police rushed to the market and along with market officials, tried to convince the farmers to withdraw their stir, but in vain. The farmers complained that there were three Ministers in the district but none of them cared about the plight of the chilli farmers. As a result, traders were offering prices much lower than the ‘jenda pata’ (bid price).

For the last one week, the chilli price was being reduced with every passing day. Friday’s jenda pata was Rs.20,800 per quintal while the price offered on Thursday was Rs.21,000. But traders were offering a price ranging between Rs.15,000 to Rs.16,000 per quintal, complained a farmer Ramulu Naik. Finally, additional Collector Madhusudhan Naik reached the market, held a review meeting with market secretary Praveen Kumar and other officials besides interacting with some farmers. He assured the farmers that a suitable price would be ensured depending on the quality of chilli.

With the assurance of the additional Collector, the trade resumed after 1 pm in the presence of the officials.

According to officials, as many as 60,000 bags of chilli reached the market on Friday. For the last one week, nearly 60,000 to 70,000 bags of chilli were being brought to the market from Mahabubabad, Kothagudem, Suryapet and Andhra Pradesh, besides Khammam.