KHAMMAM/HYDERABAD : Chilli farmers, who have been protesting for the past month or so for better remunerative prices, went on the rampage in Khammam on Friday damaging everything on the market and whatever they could lay their hands on.
Hundreds of farmers who brought their produce to the market yard were infuriated when traders offered them a meagre Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000 per quintal for their produce.
It all started with around 500 farmers from across Khammam, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Mahabubabad, Suryapet, Nalgonda and other districts bringing around 1.30 lakh gunny bags of chilli to the market.
Probably to take advantage of the bumper crop, the traders offered Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000 per quintal. The farmers, who got around Rs 14,000 per quintal last year, had arguments with the traders for offering a very meagre price now.
This led to heated arguments between the two groups and the farmers wanted the market yard officials to intervene and stop exploitation by traders.
Initially, market yard secretary Prasad Rao came to discuss the issue but the farmers demanded that the chairman should come on the scene and solve the issue.
At around 9.30 am, chairman P Krishna reached the market yard and, at the same time, TDP MLA Sandra Venkata Veeraiah also reached there.
The farmers held discussions with the market yard officials who assured to take up the issue with the government. Not satisfied, the farmers, soon after the MLA left the place, went berserk. They ransacked the market yard office, damaged window panes, computers, and weights. Later they set afire the furniture.
The angry farmers then went to e-NAM office and ransacked the furniture there also.Later, additional forces were rushed to the yard to control the situation.
The incident took a political turn with TRS alleging that the TDP MLA instigated the farmers. Congress leaders Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, former MP V Hanumantha Rao and others staged a protest at the market yard.