MADURAI: After drumstick prices plummeted in Madurai, farmers are dumping huge volumes of the vegetable in waste bins. Traders alleged that the corporation sanitation workers are not clearing vegetable wastes from Mattuthavani market.
Drumsticks arrive in loads from across the district and neighbouring districts to Madurai central market. On Wednesday, the price ranged from Rs 10 to Rs 20 per kg in the market. Traders said that prices continue to drop with the continuous surge in arrival to the market.
"On an average, a trader dumps nearly 10 to 25 bags of drumsticks (each bag has 70 to 80 kg) in waste bins. However, sanitation workers are refusing to clear the waste. Earlier, we could not sell purchased drumsticks, but now we are unable to throw them away," said N Chinnamayan, a trader and president of the Central Market All Traders Association, Madurai.
Karnan, a farmer, said, "Traders are demanding Rs 5 to Rs 6 per kg, which does not even cover our travel expenses. Despite keeping the stock for two to three days, farmers are unable to sell it, forcing them to dump it in waste bins."
Traders further said that lack of cold storage facility in the market was a major reason for such large quantities of vegetables to go waste. They demanded immediate action to arrange for the same in the market.