MP farmers' stir: Supply of vegetables stays between normal to low

The fourth day of the ongoing farmers' stir in Madhya Pradesh saw a mixed response with some traders claiming the supply of vegetables at the agriculture markets had weakened while others termed it normal.

A senior police official said the situation in the state today was largely peaceful.

Several farmers' organisations have been agitating since June 1 as part of the 10-day "Gaon Bandh" (village shutdown) stir demanding remunerative prices for produce and waiver of farm loans.

In Mandsaur, where six people were killed in police firing on June 6 last year, only 200 farmers reached the local Mandi to sell their produce today, said an official.

"On normal days, over 4,000 farmers arrive at the Mandi. Today only 200 farmers came in with their produce," said Mandsaur Krishi Upaj Mandi inspector Balwant Singh Rathore.

Traders, however, claimed there was no shortage of fresh farm produce at the Mandsaur Mandi.

Bhagwandas Meghnani, president of Mandsaur's Wholesale Traders Union, said, "There is no shortage, as of now, because people had stored sufficient amount of vegetables ahead of the agitation. However, farmers from some areas are not arriving at the market."
President of the traders' union in Indore's Ahilyabai Holkar Vegetable Market, Sundardas Makhija, told PTI, "When compared to normal days, the arrival in the Mandi has reduced to half. There is an average increase of 20 per cent in prices of tomatoes, lady finger, green chillies, bitter gourds and other vegetables."