Growers resorted to strike after the prices of onion fell drastically at the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) here on Thursday.
When the business began in the morning, the onion prices had tumbled to a minimum of Rs. 300 per quintal to a maximum of Rs. 1,500 per quintal. However, the growers demanded more prices during the auction.
The farmers alleged that merchants were deliberately trying to bring down onion prices. They said onion fetches Rs. 30 to Rs. 40 per kg in the market. Even the wholesale prices were Rs. 3,000 till Wednesday.
However, the merchants maintained that the prices were falling because of fresh produce entering the market and the fluctuation of demand.
When the merchants refused to raise the prices, farmers began protesting and blocked the main road for several minutes. Later, APMC chairman Suresh Dasanavar, secretary Nyamagoudar and others held a reconciliation meeting and finally it was decided to pay the growers an additional Rs. 100 to Rs. 300 per quintal based on the types of onion.
Meanwhile, the police have taken a farmer into custody on the charge of assaulting an APMC labourer.
