K'taka: Onion farmers stage protest demanding fair prices in Gadag

Farmers on Tuesday staged a protest here demanding fair prices for onion, by blocking roads at APMC market while alleging that mediators cheated them.

Farmers said that onion prices have come down drastically in a few days.

Gangadhar Hirematt, a farmer alleged that mediators are not allowing them to enter the APMC market.

"Mediators in APMC market did not allow us to enter the market and asked us to go back. Instead of giving the proper price, they are asking us to sell for their price of Rs 200-300 per packet which was Rs 4,500 two days ago. We want the proper price of our crops," he said.

Protestors also hurled stones at shops of mediators here and blocked Gadag-Hubli road.

Former MLA BR Yavaga said that the government should come in support of the farmers who grow onion.

"The government should speak about the exporting onion which can create a market and can give good prices to the farmers. Stopping export will cause more problems for the farmers. The government should also fix the minimum supporting price to the onion growers," he said.