Papaya farmers told not to sell produce below ₹8 a kg in Annamayya district

District Collector Sridhar Chamakuri on Saturday told the payapa farmers of Chitvel and Penagalur mandals in Annamayya district not to sell their produce below ₹8 a kg. After inspecting the papaya plantations in the two mandals, the Collector interacted with the farmers, taking a note of their grievances about falling prices.

Speaking to the media, Mr. Sridhar Chamakuri said that measures were initiated to stabilise prices. “Daily price fixation meetings involving traders and officials would ensure transparency, while check-posts and control rooms would curb exploitation. Of the 58,400 tonnes of papaya yield in Chitveli, 34,500 tonnes have already been sold, with 23,900 tonnes still to be marketed,” he said.

The Collector said that the officials were also tracking wholesale markets in New Delhi and Lucknow to maintain parity. “Officials and traders are expecting a price rise during the Dasara season,” he said, warning middlemen to stay away from harassing the farmers. He said that strict action would be taken against those attempting to procure the papaya stocks at lower prices.