The CPI (M) State secretariat member Pothineni Sudarshan Rao alleged that chilli farmers continue to be deprived of fair price for their produce at the agriculture market yard here despite the “tall claims” of the government to mitigate their woes.
Mr. Rao along with CPI district secretary B. Hemantha Rao, CPI (ML-New Democracy) senior leader and former Yellandu MLA Gummadi Narsaiah, among a host of other leaders of the Left parties visited the market yard on Thursday.
Initially, the police did not allow the Left parties’ delegation into the market yard, which has been under a thick blanket of security, citing prohibitory orders in force in the entire town, sources said. However, the police manning the security of the market yard, which witnessed an attack by irate farmers on Friday, permitted the delegation to enter the market yard premises after much persuasion.
Though the market officials told the delegation that chilli commanded a price of ₹7,000 a quintal at the beginning of the auction in the morning, a section of farmers disputed the claim saying the price has dropped to ₹3,200 to ₹4,000 as the trading progressed later on.
A farmer from Papakollu in Julurupadu mandal deplored that he had been offered a price of less than ₹3,000 per quintal by a trader. “How can I return home with such paltry sale which is abysmally inadequate to at least get back the cost of cultivation,” he rued. “The much delayed announcement by the Centre to provide a market intervention price of ₹5,000 a quintal to chilli produce is insufficient,” deplored another farmer.
The leaders of the Left parties, including Mr. Sudarshan Rao, assured the distressed farmers that they would continue the protests till all the chilli farmers get fair price to their produce.
Telangana Rythu Sangham assistant secretary Nunna Nageswara Rao, AIKMS State secretary Kechela Rangaiah and others were present.
