The downward trend in vegetable prices continues owing to consistent rise in supply.
On March 6, more than 35,000 farmers trekked 180 km over six days from Nashik to Mumbai under the banner of the Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha (AIKS) of the CPI(M) with a slew of demands, including right to forest land and a complete loan waiver.
The next day, a farmer took 50 kg of brinjals to Ahmednagar ‘mandi’ in Maharashtra, and earned Rs 75 for the produce. However, he returned home with just Rs 5 at the end of the day, thanks to Rs 60 that he spent for his transportation and Rs 10 he paid to a labourer.
The brinjal farmer epitomises the crises faced by farmers who don’t have even the luxury of earning a breakeven by selling the produce.
The downward trend in vegetable prices continues owing to consistent rise in supply. All vegetables are being sold in the range of Rs 10 to 20 per kg in retail markets of Mumbai. The drop in vegetable prices have badly hit the farmers as they are incurring losses and unable to manage the production cost.
Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) source, however, told The Times of India that the situation might change by the end of this month and prices will gradually start increasing.
"The ground reality is different, tomato’s whole sale per kg price has dropped to 1 rupees, brinjal price has collapsed to 10 paise per brinjal, onion are being sold at 20 to 30 paisa per kg. So, this condition is really pathetic. So, the claims made by BJP government that they will be implementing Swaminathan aayog recommendations are mere false claims. The SSS party alleged that the BJP government has left farmers on their own and are concentrating on corporate sector. This is the reason that farmer suicides are not stopping," Yogesh Pandey, leader of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatan told India Today.
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