Day 1 of farmers’ strike: Nashik markets hit, most parts of state unaffected

In Nashik, however, the strike evoked a positive response, as the onion market in Lasalgon recorded the arrival of only 160 quintals of the bulb. (Express Photo By Mayur Bargaje)

Barring Nashik, the nation-wide farmers’ strike that started on Friday failed to evoke much response from other parts of the state. The strike has been called by the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh, an umbrella organisation of over 110 farmer bodies. However, major farmers’ organisations in Maharashtra, such as the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana and the All India Kisan Sabha, are not actively participating in the strike.

The Mahasangh has put forward a list of demands, including an immediate and complete loan waiver in the farm sector as well as implementation of the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Committee, among others.
Abhimanyu Kohad, national spokesperson of the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh, said they have urged farmers to keep their produce in the villages, and not send them to markets in urban areas.

Kohad said the organisers have intentionally kept major farmers’ organisations such as the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana and the All India Kisan Sabha away from the strike, as they wanted the movement to be a “village-based”.

In Pune, the supply of fruits and vegetables to wholesale markets remained uninterrupted on Friday. Dilip Khaire, chairman of the board of administrators of the Pune wholesale market, said the market had seen the arrival of over
Khaire said as the supply was normal, they didn’t anticipate a price rise due to any shortage.

In Nashik, however, the strike evoked a positive response, as the onion market in Lasalgon recorded the arrival of only 160 quintals of the bulb. Usually, the market receives 20,000 quintals of onions every day.