Middlemen reign at Rythu Bazaars

Kurnool: Consumers complain that the rates at Rythu Bazaars are high when compared to other retail outlets. They also regret that some commodities are not available at the bazaars even though they are ready to pay higher prices. Swapna V Sharada, a resident of Dharmapeta in Kurnool, says that that the rates at Rythu Bazaars are too high.

Highlights:

• Middlemen allegedly obtaining licenses by showing fake passbooks and occupying the stalls of genuine farmers
• Farmers allege if action is initiated against a middleman, then they will close down Rythu Bazaar

She further alleges that rates differ with that displayed on the board. Another resident, K Srinivasa Reddy also alleged some middlemen, in the guise of farmers, have taken over the place and are making money.

The officials should have a regular monitoring to restrict the middlemen intervention and let the farmers enjoy their rights, said Srinivasa Reddy. The state government with the intention to give a boost to the farmers, has established Rythu Bazaars across the State.

The government also intended to supply fresh and quality vegetables to the consumers. Five Rythu Bazaars were set up in Kurnool district, three at Kothapeta, C Camp Centre and Venkataramana Colony in Kurnool, one at Adoni and the other at Nandyal.

According to a source, 205 farmers were enrolled to sell their farm produce at C Camp Rythu Bazaar. Here more than 8,000 consumers were known to be visiting to buy the groceries and around 900 quintals of vegetables are sold daily. Similarly, 40 farmers at Kothapeta Rythu Bazaar were known to be selling 178 quintals with the consumers floating of 3,500 and the Venkataramana Colony Rythu Bazaar was enrolled with 18 farmers where 1,700 consumers visit every day, sources said.

Nandyal Rythu Bazaar was enrolled with 38 farmers and 20 farmers at Adoni. Unfortunately, farmers were replaced by the middlemen. The Estate Officers are said to be maintaining silence. If any action is initiated on the middlemen, the Rythu Bazaars would be closed as there are no actual farmers selling their produces.

It is learnt that the middlemen are threatening the farmers. The places allotted to the farmers are forcibly occupied by the middlemen and the farmers have to sit at a vacant place available to sell their produces.

In fact, for selling the agriculture produces at Rythu Bazaars, the farmers have to get a licence from the Horticulture department after showing their pattadar passbooks. But some persons have secured licences by producing fake
passbooks.

By V Narendra Kumar