Warangal: Chilli farmers see red over not getting good price

Warangal: A sharp fall in red chilli prices forced the farmers to stage a flash protest at the Enumamula Agricultural Market Yard here on Monday. The farmers alleged that the traders in connivance with the officials dropped the procurement prices to a discouraging low. They demanded the government to ensure a remunerative price for their produce.

Although the jhenda price was fixed at Rs 21,000 per quintal for Teja variety, the traders were not willing to purchase. Farmer A Sudhakar Reddy from Nadikuda mandal said that his hopes of getting a remunerative price were dashed by the traders. Citing various reasons, the traders who formed a cartel offered anywhere between Rs 12,000 and Rs 15,000 per quintal. The new government should look into the issues faced by the farmers, he said.

Traffic came to a grinding halt on the market road for some time as the farmers raised slogans against the market committee.

Even though the police tried to pacify the farmers, the latter continued their protest. They demanded the market committee to pay the support price. Later, they called off the protest after the marker committee assured them of providing support price. Meanwhile, Enumamula Agriculture Market secretary K Sangaiah said that he had convinced the traders to pay remunerative prices to the farmers.