Red jower and turmeric farmers protest to seek MS

Nizamabad: Over 2,000 red jowar and turmeric farmers took out a protest rally at Armoor town in Nizamabad district on Thursday seeking a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 4,500 for red jowar and Rs 15,000 for turmeric respectively. They also sought the setting up of a Turmeric Board in Armoor.

The farmers from various villages of Armoor and Balkonda Assembly constituencies gathered at the Mamidipalli circle in Armoor town to take part in the protest, organised under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee (JAC).

Addressing the gathering JAC leader V Prabhakar and others demanded that the Telangana government purchase red jowar and turmeric from the farmers offering a MSP of Rs 4,500 and Rs 15,000 respectively. They wanted the government to purchase the crop through Markfed.

They also wanted the government to announce a time-frame for establishing a Turmeric Board at Balkonda Assembly constituency, for the benefit of turmeric farmers in Telangana State.

The farmers took out at a rally from Mamidipalli circle to Armoor tahsildar office where they staged a protest before submitting a memorandum to the tahsildar. As part of the protest some farmers also sat on a relay hunger strike. Even though the police had imposed Section 144 in the town, the JAC leaders and the farmers violated the prohibitory orders and staged the protest.