CENTRE TO BUY CHILLI FROM TS, AP; OFFERS `5,000 A QUINTAL

The Centre has decided to go in for the Market Intervention Scheme with immediate effect to help distressed chilli farmers in TS and AP. The Centre will buy chillies at `5,000 per quintal till May 31.

Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh tweeted: “Under MIS, we are providing Rs. 5,000/qtl support to #chilli growers in the states, and additional Rs. 1,250/qtl for packaging. (sic)”

Union minister Venkaiah Naidu called on Mr Singh and briefed him about the crisis in the two states.

Chilli farmers in the state are having a dry run this year. They are left with nothing but tears, as prices as low as `1,000 per quintal are being quoted for the produce which they have cultivated with months of hard work and hefty investment.

“I took 20 bags to the market and they are offering me `1,000 per quintal. During the last year, I sold my produce at `11,000 per quintal. I do not know what to do. For labour and transport alone, I spent `70,000. Not even half of my investment is coming back,” rued B. Raju, a farmer from Chityala.

Currently, at Enumamula agriculture market, chilli prices range from `4,000 to `5,800 per quintal, depending on the variety and quality. Officials at the market said the prices are low because of the low quality of the produce.

“So far, 85 per cent of the total produce coming to the market from Warangal has been sold,” said Enumamula market secretary Azmeera Raju.

“Whatever produce is coming to the market currently is third and fourth-grade quality. That is why these are not fetching good prices. The farmers must understand that the prices vary because of fluctuations in the national and international market. About 80,000 bags of chilli were brought to the market on Tuesday and another 50,000 bags arrived on Wednesday. We are trying to ensure that the bags are sold and packed off on the same day,” he added.

However, farmers said traders’ domination continues in the process. Traders are citing several reasons why prices are less. The farmers are also not finding a place in cold storages to store their produce to be sold at a later stage.

For whom did the government build these cold storages? Is it for the sake of traders or farmers? The owners of the storages say they are all booked up,” Banoth Shankar said.