Team Herald
Ponda: In what has come as a massive relief to the Cashew farmers of Ponda, the market yard, Goa Bagayatdar and other local shops started buying cashew nuts on Friday.
It may be recalled that earlier, a large number of farmers were worried due to lack of purchase for the last fifteen days due to the lockdown and they were unable to sell any of their produce during that period. While on Friday, they sold their produce for Rs 105 per pg, before the lockdown, they were selling the same at Rs 135 per kg.
The drop in pricing has been blamed on the economy. While the farmers had to bear the brunt of the reduction in prices, they were happy that at least they were able to sell the stock that had been lying idle, at what they described to be reasonable rates given the present circumstances. They added that the rates were fixed after the Chief Minister had issued directions in that regard. However, on their way to the Bagyatdar , they were stopped by police and some alleged that they were even harassed on the grounds of violating lockdown. “There are hundreds of farmers who are yet to sell their production and there should not be any harassment by the Police. We are ready to stand in a queue and observe social distance while selling Cashew nuts but the police should not stop our vehicles transporting the same,” said a farmer.
