Parul
The 10-day agitation launched by farmer organisations in several northern states to press for their demands, including loan waiver and right price for their produce, entered the fourth day today. Prices of vegetables soared amid disruptions in supplies and procurement of milk was also hit in parts of Rajasthan.
“Jaipur Dairy alone has suffered a loss of nearly one crore as anti-social elements spilt nearly 60,000 litres of milk on roads. Twelve tankers were vandalised. Jaipur Dairy has lodged 8-9 police FIRs for damaging and manhandling employees,” Jaipur Dairy chairman Om Prakash Punia told. He said that problems are being witnessed in Sikar, Chomu, Kaladera and parts of Jaipur.
Vegetable prices have shot up by 25-30 per cent in Jaipur due to ongoing farmers’ agitation. The prices of vegetables have increased by 25-30 per cent in the last three days because of restricted supply due to the farmers’ agitation, a vegetable vendor at Muhana vegetable market said.
Vegetables are supplied in Muhana mandi, Lal Kothi mandi and to other retail markets in the city from areas like Sanganer and Chomu (Jaipur) but farmers are not supplying to the mandis (large wholesale markets), he said.
Meanwhile, farmers’ body holding agitation in the state has blamed anti-social elements for spilling milk on roads and disrupting milk procurement. Protests have been peaceful and successful. Anti-social elements are behind disrupting milk procurement and spilling it on roads. We have set up milk points for consumers outside city limits for the urban population, a core committee member of the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh said.
The 10-day Gaon Bandh (rural shutdown) farmer protest was called ahead of the first anniversary of the death of several farmers in police firing in Mandsaur of Madhya Pradesh, which sections of farmers supported in Rajasthan as well. The protest started on 1st June 2018 demanding loan waiver, higher prices for their produce and immediate implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report on farming.
