Gaon Bandh Day 2: Vegetables prices soar, milk transportation affected

Several farmers' organisations have jointly called a 10-day protest, which was launched on June 1, across 22 states in the country demanding remunerative prices for their produce, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations and farm loan waivers etc. The protest also marks the anniversary of the killing of 6 farmers in police firing in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh.

The Congress Party has supported the ‘Gaon Bandh' organised by farmers across the country. The Bandh has had a widespread impact in last two days.

Farmers in several districts of Rajasthan including Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Jhunjhunu, Jaipur, Sikar, Bikaner and Nagpur spilled milk, vegetables on roads and highways. Some districts in Jaipur, the farmers have tried to forcefully shut market. The farmers across the state stopped milk tankers of different diary cooperatives in order to stop the supply of milk products.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted supporting the farmers’ movement. He said, " Everyday 35 farmers in our country commit suicide. Farmers have been forced to go on a 10 day agitation to draw the central government's attention towards this crisis in the agriculture sector. I will address the Kisan rally in Mandsaur on June 6 to stand with the farmers in their struggle for their rights.”

Second day of farmers' agitation in Chandigarh; vegetables prices soar

With farmers' agitation entering second day on Saturday, vegetable prices at various cities in Punjab, Haryana started soaring in the wake of the dwindling fresh supplies of farm produce in mandis even as the farmers dumped vegetables, milk on roads and blocked supplies to cities. As part of the 10-day agitation starting from Friday, the farmers stopped supply of vegetables, fruits, milk and other items to various cities against the alleged anti-farmer policies of the Centre.

Though the impact of farmers' stir on price of farm commodities was not visible on Friday, the retail prices of vegetables in several cities soared in the range of Rs 10-20 per kg on the second day, forcing consumers in cities to shell out more for buying vegetables.

According to traders in Chandigarh, the price of tomatoes soared to Rs 20-25 per kg against Rs 10-15 per kg prevailing two days back. Similarly, retail prices of potatoes, capsicum, bottle gourd, cucumber, have also gone up on short supplies.

Traders said the fresh supplies of vegetables coming through vehicles in mandis have dwindled, triggering fears of more price rise in coming days.

The farmers continued to hold protest at several places in Punjab, including Nabha, Ludhiana, Muktsar, Tarn Taran, Nangal and Ferozepur and there were reports that farmers even put up blockades not to allow supply of vegetables and milk entering cities. According to a report from Ferozepur, the farmers allegedly forced the closure of vegetable mandi.

In Bathinda, a group of farmers, owing allegiance to the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur), stopped some milk sellers from going to the city in the morning at village Jodhpur Romana which resulted into heated arguments among them. Milk sellers were requesting the protesting farmers to allow them to sell their milk but they refused, said police.

Then, four farmers were taken into preventive custody, said Bathinda police station Sadar SHO Iqbal Singh. The farmers even staged sit-in outside police station demanding release of their fellow farmers.

In Mohali, a group of farmers parked their cars outside the entry gate of Verka milk plant as part of their protest. They were demanding that Verka milk plant should not procure milk from farmers. Verka is a brand of cooperative federation Milkfed Punjab.

Farm protest affects vegetable, milk arrival at Nashik markets

The arrival of vegetables at various market committees and collection of milk in the district in Nashik were affected as a 10-day nationwide farmers' protest entered its second day on Saturday, said a senior functionary of one of the participating farm organisations.

"All milk dairies in the district are closed and collection centres for milk has been affected. Agitating farmers poured milk on the roads at Visapur in Yeola taluka in the morning today. Arrival of vegetables at APMC is also low," said Raju Desale, working president of the All India Kisan Sabha.

An official of the Nashik Agricultural Produce Market Committee said that the arrival of vegetables there was low due to the protest.

Several farmers' organisations have jointly called the 10-day protest, which started on June 1, across 22 states in the country demanding remunerative prices for their produce, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations and farm loan waivers etc.

With PTI inputs