Warangal: Chilli farmers agitate over traders offering less price at Enumamula market yard

The agitated farmers even blocked vehicular traffic for some time near the market and raised slogans against the market committee chairman

Warangal: Annoyed over the sharp fall in procurement price of red chilli, farmers staged a massive protest at Enumamula agricultural market here on Monday demanding an end to the exploitation by traders and remunerative price for their chilli produce.

The agitated farmers even blocked vehicular traffic for some time near the market and raised slogans against the market committee chairman.

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The farmers alleged that though the government had fixed Rs. 21,000 per quintal Minimum Support Price (MSP) , however, the traders were offering 50 percent of the price. Citing the example of Wonder Hot variety chilli, the farmers said the traders were offering only Rs. 15,000 per quintal against the fixed price of Rs. 21,000 per quintal, causing huge loss to them. Similarly, 1048 and 5531 varieties of chillies which were supposed to be sold at Rs. 15,000 per quintal were being purchased at Rs. 8,000 and popular Teja variety chilli, which were priced at Rs. 21,000 to 21,500 per quintal were being purchased at Rs. 12,000 by the traders, the farmers said. The traders have formed a syndicate and were cheating farmers by offering lower prices, they alleged.

The police tried to pacify the farmers and asked them to call off their agitation,but they refused to do so and made it clear that they would not leave the place until the traders purchase their chillies at support price. However, after getting assurances from the market committee members they called off their agitation.

Meanwhile, Enumamula Agriculture Market secretary K Sangaiah informed that the commission agents, market staff and traders have been instructed to revise the benchmark of red chillies and offer them remunerative prices. Farmers and traders have agreed for the revised benchmark set for the quality of the chillies and were offering the correct price for chillies, he claimed. “Traders pay according to the quality of chillies. There is no complaint from farmers. They are satisfied with the prices being offered to them,”he said.