A section of cotton farmers staged a protest demonstration in front of the cotton market yard here on Monday resenting the alleged delayed commencement of transactions at the yard and the unabated “exploitation” by some greedy traders.
Some of the cotton growers turned restive after waiting for several hours at the yard to dispose of their stocks in the morning.
Driven by the fear of heavy downpour, the agitated cotton farmers entered into an argument with the staff concerned of the market yard seeking an explanation for the delay in procurement of cotton by the staff at the CCI centre at the yard.
They raised slogans accusing a section of the staff of colluding with the mediators to benefit the private buyers.
They squatted at the entrance of the market yard demanding immediate redressal of their grievances, including prompt commencement of daily transactions at the market yard, payment of Rs. 20 per each empty gunny bag to the cotton growers by the buyers after the purchase of their cotton stock, besides other demands.
They called off the agitation after the commencement of the cotton purchase transactions at the yard following the intervention of the officials.
Meanwhile, the officials of the Marketing Department convened a meeting with the representatives of the farmers’ associations to redress the grievances of cotton farmers.
The market yard sources said that a total of 9,000 cotton bags had arrived at the CCI purchase centre in the yard on Monday. The CCI centre purchased around 2800 quintals of cotton from the farmers since Friday.
