Gujjar stir hits movement of mustard, wheat

The Gujjars, who are classified as other backward caste in Rajasthan, have been demanding tribal status for better educational and job opportunities.

The agitation has been violent with 39 killed, mostly in police firing, while many more have been injured.

Traders said arrivals of the two of major crops have been reduced to a trickle in various commodity markets in the state. According to trade estimates, arrivals of mustard in Rajasthan have touched a new low of 70,000-80,000 bags of 85 kg each in the last 10 days.

"Prior to the agitation, we were getting over 120,000-140,000 bags on an average daily in commodity markets, but now it has nearly halved and dropped to 70,000-80,000 bags," Ashok Chattar, a mustard trader said.

Rajesh Dangayach, another trader, said that the average daily arrival of mustard in the last week of May had dwindled to 70,000-80,000 bags against 175,000-200,000 bags at the same time last year. "As arrivals have been hit, the prices of mustard have risen by 4-5 per cent in the last 10 days," Anil Jain, a trader here said.

"Before the start of the agitation on May 23, mustard was hovering around Rs 2,920-2930 per 100 kg, and now it is around Rs 3,020-3,025 per 100 kg," he said. The price of wheat has also gone up by about 4 per cent as arrivals in Jaipur have been hit to a large extent.

"Wheat arrivals from Bharatpur, Alwar, Karauli and Sawai Madhopur have been particularly hit," KG Jhalani, a wheat trader here said.

Wheat arrivals have dropped in Jaipur to 8,000-12,000 bags of 100 kg each from 30,000-40,000 bags before the start of the agitation mainly because movement of trucks in some sectors have come to a virtual standstill.

"Looking at the present situation, we are not plying our trucks on majority of roads in the state. We are losing around Rs 5 crore of business every day," Gurmeet Singh, an official of Rajasthan Truck Transporters Association said.

Perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables and milk have also been also badly hit.