KHAMMAM ; Frustrated over not getting Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce, chilli farmers locked the gates of the chilli market in the district and staged a dharna demanding their chillies be purchased at MSP.
As many as 2,000 farmers across the district brought 30,000 bags of chillies to market yard on Monday.
Expecting good price this year over 30,000 farmers across the district have cultivated chilli crop in 80,000 acres.
In the beginning, traders offered good price but of late they have reduced it below MSP putting farmers in difficulty. The traders have begun offering chillies at `7,500-`8,500 per quintal against the MSP of `9,100 per quintal.
As a result, the farmers got irritated and locked the gates of the market yard. Meanwhile, district market yard chairperson Krishna held discussions with traders and farmers. He asked the traders to purchase the produce at MSP.
“Traders have formed a syndicate and have been looting us by offering prices much below the MSP,” a farmer from Julurpad village G Ramdas alleged.
In fact, traders offered upto `11,500 per quintal till few days ago. “The sudden fall in the price is an indication that the traders wantedly reduced the price. If we sell the produce at their price, we will incur heavy loses,” says K Nageswara Rao, a farmer from Raghunadhapalem village.
According to J Rama Rao, a farmer from Pallipadu village, once floor price is fixed at `9,100 per quintal, no trader can purchase at less than that. However, some traders are trying to cheat the farmers.
“We spent more than `1.50 lakh per acre. Due to low yield we are already incurring loses and if we sell our produce at this rate we will incur further loss,” he added. “Everyday it is a test for every farmer in the market yard. We work hard in fields but once produce comes to market yard we have to depend on traders’ mercy,” says G Koteswara Rao, a farmer.