Vegetables growers hard hit by demonetisation

Vegetable growers are worst hit by the demonetisation move as farmers have to sell their produce at less than 50 per cent of normal price.
"Before demonetisation we were getting price of Rs.100 to Rs 120 for 10 kg packet of Brinjal. Now, we have to sell off at Rs 30 and times even less. Carrot price was Rs 15 to 20 per kgand now we are forced to sell it at Rs 8 to Rs 10 per kg," Navin Saini farmer from Sikandrabad who brings vegetable at whole sale mandi in Noida said today.
"As our products are perishable and at the end of day we have to dump the unsold vegetables to garbage bin so prefer to sell off even at throw away price. Cost of labour for unloading at mandi has increased from Rs 80 to Rs 100," he added.

"Agriculture is the main source in our country. After demonetisation farmers are unable to feed the families and suffering loss. Government should have arranged the new currency notes of Rs 500 and old currency notes of Rs 100 so that citizens can exchange their money easily. Lack of money and mismanagement has affected the farmers worst," said Saini. Several other farmers too echoed similar views.
Traders at Mandi too claimed demonetisation has affected the business.
Though wholesale prices have declined but retailers are not passing the price reduction to consumers.
"Prices before demonetisation and after were not much declined. At times, local retailers are charging Rs 1 or 2 per kg more for offering Paytm facility or on loan. They say they will collect weekly or monthly payments," said Savitri Sharma, a resident of Noida.