As 10-day farmers’ stir enters 2nd day, veggie prices start to soar
New Delhi/ Mumbai/ Nashik/ Nagpur: With the farmers’ agitation entering the second day on Saturday, vegetable prices in different parts of the countruy started soaring in the wake of dwindling fresh supplies of farm produce in mandis even as farmers dumped vegetables and milk on roads and blocked supplies to cities. As part of the 10-day agitation starting from Friday, farmers stopped supply of vegetables, fruits, milk and other items to various cities against the anti-farmer policies of the Centre.
Though the impact of farmers’ stir on price of farm commodities was not visible on Friday, retail prices of vegetables in several cities soared in the range of Rs 10-20 per kg on the second day on Saturday, forcing consumers in cities to shell out more for buying vegetables. According to traders , the price of tomatoes, potatoes, capsicum, bottle gourd, cucumber, have gone up on short supplies. Traders said the fresh supplies of vegetables coming through vehicles in mandis have dwindled, triggering fears of more price rise in coming days.
Meanwhile, the Left-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) on Saturday accused the Maharashtra government of dispalying a “negative approach” to the farmers’ protest and warned that it would intensify from June 5. There has been no response from the government to the demands of the protesting farmers, AIKS General Secretary Ajit Navle told reporters in Mumba
“Farmers across the state are holding protests but the Government seems to have a negative approach over keeping the promises it had made to farmers last month,” he said. “All milk dairies in the district are closed and collection centres for milk have been affected. Agitating farmers poured milk on roads at Visapur in Yeola taluka on Saturday morning. Arrival of vegetables at market committees too is low,” said AIKS Working President Raju Desale. An official of the Nashik Agricultural Produce Market Committee said that the arrival of vegetables there was low due to the protest.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of Shipping and Road Transport Nitin Gadkari on Saturday blamed the global economic situation and surplus production for the farmers’ woes and assured that the Centre is working on “a war footing” to solve their problems. “This situation has arisen due to the global economy and surplus production. This is an old issue, not a new one. The government is working on a war footing by formulating mid- and long-term policies as well as exporting excess produce,” he said to a question about the ongoing farmers’ agitation.
Source: As 10-day farmers’ stir enters 2nd day, veggie prices start to soar
