Chilli farmers from Guntur and Prakasam districts in Andhra Pradesh stage protest

GUNTUR: The chilli farmers have staged a protest demanding direct cash payments from the traders for their chilli produce without registering the transaction on the electronic National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) portal at NTR Mirchi Yard in Guntur. The farmers from Guntur and Prakasam districts staged the protest in front of the market yard office here on Thursday, and demanded direct cash payments for chilli produce, which are always brought to the yard.

However, the market yard officials refused to comply with the demands of farmers and asked them to use the e-NAM portal.

The e-NAM system was implemented at the NTR Mirchi Yard in September. Though the traders had resisted the move, the officials insisted on implementation of the system stating that it was for the benefit of farmers.

The traders stated that the turnover at the yard was more than ` 6,000 crore per annum and earlier they used to pay cash in advance to farmers to purchase their crop. But that wouldn’t be possible under new system. Meanwhile, exporters are welcoming the new system.

Secretary N Srinivasa Rao said the farmers staged the protest for an hour but later agreed to use   the e-NAM portal.