As chilli prices began to fall, zonal and State authorities left the issue to be handled by officials from the Khammam market.
Khammam: The unchecked hegemony of traders and agents and the failure of market committees and the governing body to check the malpractices of traders caused unrest among farmers that resulted in the violent outburst in the market on April 28. As chilli prices began to fall, zonal and State authorities left the issue to be handled by officials from the Khammam market, without offering them any guidance to tackle the unprecedented arrival of chilli in the market and the drop in prices. Market officials were not able to resolve the issue on their own and chose to ignore it. Traders and agents, exploiting the situation to their advantage, began to spread rumours to procure the produce from farmers at throwaway prices.
District Collector Lokesh Kumar, in his report, referred to vested interests of traders and agents who took control of the market. They started with a rumour that the market would remain close for the coming week, as the government was planning to declare holidays. The market governing body had asked for police to be posted in the market, to handle the situation whenever a farmer raised his voice; and so traders would ensure they took their time to conduct deliberations and meetings, to gently convince farmers and pick up the chilli at low prices.
The price of chilli has fallen from Rs 12,000 per quintal to Rs 3000 per quintal. There is no mechanism for farmers to express their grievances; and they are yet to receive any solace. While the entire area is strewn with the farm produce, higher officials have never once visited it.
