Guwahati: Hundreds of potato farmers from the Sadiya region of Tinsukia district in Assam on Monday blocked a national highway by dumping tonnes of their produce on the road to protest falling prices and alleged exploitation by middlemen, officials said.
Around 300 farmers, who arrived on foot along with seven to eight tractors, unloaded potatoes on the highway at the 8 Mile area, bringing traffic to a standstill. The protest led to long queues of vehicles on both sides of the busy stretch as farmers raised slogans against the state government over the lack of safeguards for cultivators.
The agitators alleged that despite Sadiya being one of Assam’s major potato-producing belts, traders and middlemen were buying potatoes at only Rs 6 to Rs 7 per kg, while selling the same produce in the market for Rs 10 to Rs 14 per kg. They said the price disparity allowed intermediaries to make large profits, while farmers struggled to recover cultivation costs.
“We are forced to sell our produce at throwaway prices as there is no proper market facility in Sadiya. Middlemen buy cheaply and sell at almost double the rate, while farmers incur losses,” said one of the protesters.
The farmers also opposed the procurement of potatoes from other states, claiming that authorities neglected local produce despite sufficient production in Assam.
They said the absence of marketing infrastructure often led to distress sales or wastage of crops.
The blockade caused major disruption to traffic movement, prompting district officials to reach the spot and hold talks with the protesters.
During the discussions, the farmers demanded the establishment of a dedicated market for potato growers in Sadiya and the creation of cold storage facilities to prevent post-harvest losses.
Officials assured the farmers that they would place the demands before higher authorities for consideration.
The protesters later lifted the blockade and dispersed but warned that they would intensify their agitation if the government failed to take concrete steps to address their grievances.