Ujjain: Wheat prices drop as Bhavantar scheme benefits denied to farmers

Ujjain: Commotion prevailed at Krishi Upaj Mandi on Tuesday morning as wheat prices dropped from Rs 2100 per quintal to Rs 1700-1800 per quintal. Angry farmers stopped the auction by creating a ruckus. They even closed the mandi gates and created a traffic jam on Agar road.

Under the wheat Bhawantar Scheme, the State Government has announced a bonus of Rs 265 per quintal on selling wheat even in the mandi. However, the Mandi administration made no arrangements in this direction, claiming that no such order had been received. Farmers started chanting slogans as they did not get a suitable price and benefit of the Bhawantar Scheme.

On Tuesday morning, the merchants bought about 8-10 trolleys of wheat for Rs 1700-1800 per quintal. The farmers were furious as they had sold the same wheat for Rs 2100-2200 on Friday, but the merchants decreased prices after announcement of the Bhawantar bonus.

The collector, SDM and Krishi Upaj Mandi president Bahadur Singh Bormundla talked to the farmers and asked them to resume auction. Bormundla said the benefit of the Bhawantar Scheme could not be given to farmers as he had not received any order for the same. He further stated that bonus would be given as soon as orders were received. He also asked the merchants to buy wheat at support price.