Enumamula sitting on powder keg

Chilli farmers fight for Remunerative price

​Warangal: Enumamula, the largest chilli market yard in Telangana, appeared to be sitting on a powder keg, and is filled with aggression much more potent than gun powder when it reopened after a six-day layoff on Tuesday. The chilli growers who find themselves with their backs against the wall this season due to steep fall in prices fuelled further by the new restrictions imposed by the authorities.

The authorities, however, said the move is intended to ensure smooth functioning of the business at the market yard, especially in the wake of Khammam incident on April 28.

Unaware of the administration’s recent paper notice that advised farmers to come with their credentials, many a farmer turned to market yard without their ID proof such as pattadar passbook, Aadhaar, etc. This has led to an altercation between farmers and security.

Although the farmers managed to get into the market yard after facing a stiff resistance from the authorities, there was no good news for them as the traders continued to offer meager prices to their produce.

Even though the market yard was guarded by more than 200 police personnel, farmers appeared aggressive and raised slogans against the authorities for not ensuring remunerative price.

Many a time, farmers entered into an altercation with the police. They even questioned the presence of the police in the market yard.

Pouring out his problems, A Mallesham of Kataram said: “Even after selling my entire produce I am left with nothing. I still have to pay labour charges.”

S Ramchander of Regonda village said: “In last 20 years, I never saw the market yard in the shadow of police.” He questioned: “Do they (police) ensure the remunerative price for our produce? If not, why they are here?”, he said.

Market Yard Secretary Ajmeera Raju told The Hans India: “The authorities facilitated all the chilli growers to sell their produce in the yard. Today the market witnessed arrival of nearly 80,000 bags. Of which 90 per cent of transactions have been completed.”

Responding on curbs at the market yard, he said that it was aimed at restricting the movement of others who are not farmers. The government wants the business go unhampered.

The price of various varieties of chilli at the Enumamula Market on Tuesday: Teja (Rs 5,800 – Rs 3,800 per quintal), Wonder Hot (Rs 3,800 – Rs 2,800), US-341 (Rs 4,000 - Rs 2,700), Desi (Rs 5,700 - Rs 3,700) and DD (Rs 3,600 – Rs 2,600). (Highest and lowest prices in parenthesis). It’s learnt that better part of chilli arrivals have got lowest prices.

Meanwhile, the police whisked away former Chief Whip Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy and other Congress leaders to Mills Colony police station when the latter tried to meet the farmers at the market yard. The police also thwarted the efforts of some farmers who tried to set ablaze the chilli crop near market yard.

It’s learnt that two DCPs, four ACPs, seven Inspectors, 10 sub-inspectors and more than 200 police personnel were deployed in the market yard. This apart, two police check posts have also set up to monitor the situation.