Angry farmers dump tonnes of potatoes outside CM Yogi’s home

Angry farmers on Saturday brought tonnes of potatoes loaded in trucks and dumped them on roads, right in front of the CM House and UP State Assembly, for failing to get adequate price for their produce.

The Yogi Adityanath government had fixed Rs 487 a quintal as the minimum support price for potato but farmers are demanding Rs 10 a kg, which amounts to Rs 1,000 a quintal.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Lucknow Deepak Kumar said the vehicles of the farmers, who were involved in throwing potatoes have been identified and that they would be acted upon.

"We are getting Rs. 3-4 per quintal from the 'mandis' while we want Rs. 10 per quintal. What else do we do when our pleas are falling on deaf ears," a farmer told IANS.

Chief minister Adityanath promised to look into their grievances, saying a group of ministers could be formed to examine and resolve farm problems.

He had also reached out to the central government and asked Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh to ask other states to procure potato from UP.

Adityanath also wanted potato crop from the state to get prominence for procurement in the Centre's E-National Agricultural Mart.

Meanwhile, 4 policemen, including a Sub Inspector were suspended in connection with potatoes dumped outside Uttar Pradesh Assembly building by farmers in protest against low prices.

OneIndia News (with agency inputs)