KHAMMAM: After nearly five years of farmers not getting remunerative prices, Khammam chilli market yard is witnessing stocks of chilli in huge quantity arriving at the market yard. On Thursday, as many as 30,000 chilli bags were brought to the market and it is the first time in last five years particularly in June month that this amount of chilli has arrived to the market.The situation, however, is similar to that of the past couple of months. As usual farmer did not get remunerative prices. According to information, chilli was sold at `3,000 to 5,400 per quintal which is very less.
Farmers who came to market yard expressed displeasure over prices and urged the traders to increase it.
Due to long vacations for the chilli market yard from May 23 to June 3 chilli stocks has piled up in farmer’s houses and some farmers have kept them in cold storage. Small and marginal farmers have been suffering during vacations to keep chillies in safe place.B Adinaryana, farmer of Kallur said, “We expected good price today as we have brought produce after a long time but there is no change in prices.”
Bhukya Malya, farmer from Laxmipuram in Kusumanchi mandal said that traders and officials have joined hands and are cheating farmers by asking chillies at lesser prices. He appealed the government to interfere in the issue and do justice to farmers.
According to information 25 to 30 per cent of chilli produce is still with farmers as most of them kept the produce with them expecting increase in prices. R Narayana, a farmer said that big farmers would wait and keep the stock in cold storage but small farmers suffer the most as they are unable to do so. He urged the government to ensure that at least `9,000 to 10,000 per quintal should be given as only then the farmers can survived.Hundreds of farmers who came to market yard returned with anguish after seeing prices.