Hyderabad, March 29: If Rythu Bazars are the place where one can get vegetables and other food items for cheap, then its time to do a reality check. People visiting Rythu Bazars in the twin cities are finding that food items are being sold for much higher than listed prices.
A case in point is the Mehdipatnam Rythu Bazar, where it was found that middlemen and not ryots, occupy more than 75 percent space. Many customers have been complaining that vendors are demanding more than what is quoted on the price list.
“While the price of 1 kg ribbed gourd is quoted as Rs.12 on the price board, vendors are selling it for Rs.20. Similarly, bitter gourd is to be sold at Rs.18 per kg but some vendors demanded Rs. 28,” said Narayana Prasad, a shopper. Only after he brought the matter to notice of concerned authorities, he was given vegetables at the actual price.
“Small farmers do not have stalls in the Rythu Bazar. We are forced to sell in front of the bazaar because there is no place inside the premises,” said Kodichera Komaraiah, a small farmer and vegetable seller of Nagireddygudem village, Rangareddy district. Incidentally, when Komaraiah approached officials for a space in the Mehdipatnam market, he had to go through a gruelling question session from officials.
The rules make it mandatory for every Rythu Bazaar to have 75 percent genuine farmers, but in reality middlemen are in more numbers than the former. There are nine Rythu Bazars in the city meant for farmers to bring vegetables and sell directly to consumers, thereby eliminating middlemen who exploit both farmers and consumers alike. This helps customers to get produce which is affordable and farm fresh.
“Customers are supposed to get good quality vegetables and food grains at lower prices but middlemen end up selling stocked goods for higher prices,” observed Komaraiah.
However, the Bazar estate officer Alexander Manikyam said, “I found some cases where vendors were selling goods at higher prices. I have fined each of them to the extent of Rs. 200 and Rs. 2,000 per group.” He denied that the alleged irregularities were a common occurrence.
—Agencies