SHILLONG, July 17: A day after the Hill Farmers’ Union (HFU) staged a cabbage protest in the city, offering around six tonnes of the vegetable for free, the Meghalaya government has scheduled a meeting with farmers and key stakeholders on July 24 to examine the causes behind the collapse in wholesale vegetable prices and consider measures to improve returns for cultivators.
The discussions will be convened by East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal.
On Thursday, HFU members brought nearly six tonnes of cabbage from four villages in Mawkynrew block and distributed them free of cost in Shillong. The union said the move was intended to demonstrate that selling the produce at the prevailing wholesale rate of Rs 2 per kg would leave farmers with little or no income, even as consumers pay Rs 20 to Rs 30 per kg.
HFU general secretary Alfondbirth Kharsyntiew said the demonstration was organised with prior approval from the district administration. The union consciously decided against dumping the vegetables, choosing instead to distribute them to the public so the produce would not be wasted while highlighting the problems faced by growers.
According to the union, the crisis is compounded by the expenses farmers incur even after harvesting. Besides the low prices offered by traders, cultivators have to spend on transporting vegetables from remote villages to Shillong, pay labourers to carry the produce into the market and bear a market fee of Rs 40 for every sack sold. Many growers are also repaying seasonal crop loans, leaving them with little financial cushion.
Kharsyntiew said the union is now exploring alternative marketing channels by sending vegetables directly to markets in Jowai, Ri-Bhoi and other parts of Meghalaya on market days in an effort to bypass poor wholesale prices. He added that produce from the Khasi Hills is also transported outside the State during the peak season, with consignments reaching Silchar and Barpeta before being distributed to Manipur, Mizoram, different parts of Assam and Siliguri in West Bengal.
Expressing optimism ahead of the July 24 meeting, the HFU leader said meaningful intervention is needed to address repeated price fluctuations. He also urged market intermediaries and agencies responsible for overseeing agricultural trade to ensure that cultivators receive fair compensation for their produce.
