Karnataka - Hubli   

Onion growers go berserk as price crashes suddenly

By Our Special Correspondent

HUBLI, OCT. 17. A sudden crash in the price of onions forced the growers go berserk at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee area here on Saturday.

It all started when it came to be known that buyers had tendered for onions at Rs. 10 a quintal to a maximum of Rs. 300 a quintal. As a result, in most cases the price of onion was fixed between Rs. 50 and Rs. 100 a quintal.

Stone-throwing

The enraged farmers became restive over the fall in prices and they soon started throwing stones in which 20 lorries were damaged.

There was a tussle between the farmers and others when the former demanded that the produce be purchased at the minimum support announced by the Government.

The police intervened and brought the situation under control.

Nearly 10,000 quintals of onion arrived in the market from Bijapur, Bagalkot, Gadag and Haveri.

The purchase centre is only available to small and marginal farmers while others are left to fend for themselves. Besides only fair average quality onions are purchased.

Frustration

Hanumanth Gowda Patil of Sankadal village of Shirahatti taluk of Gadag district said the face in price had led to frustration among farmers.

"We have had a good harvest and when we are expecting Rs. 250 to Rs. 300 a quintal for the produce, it is being quoted at Rs. 10 a quintal. What should we do?'' he asked.

Shekhappa of Betadur of Shishunal of Kundgol taluk of Dharwad district said he had no means of paying transport charges and no commission agent was prepared to give him money in advance.

"We are sitting here without food waiting for the price to pick up. But it is only going down,'' he said.

A farmer from Badami said he would be happy if his produce was purchased at whatever rate and money was given to him. Bhimappa Hadimani of Antur Bentur of Gadag taluk said he had been waiting with his produce for the past three days. It had not been graded or prices fixed. "I do not know what to do,'' he said. And there were many others with similar tales of woes.

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Onion growers go berserk as price crashes suddenly

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