At a time when governments are moving to introduce digital marketing systems for farmers as part of their journey towards cashless economy, the farmers in Hyderabad are angry of such system. Accusing exploitation in online procurement system, they attacked market yard office this morning.

The Agricultural Marketing Yard in Malakpet is a major chilli and onion market in Telangana. Recently online procurement system was introduced here. The electronic weighing machine linked to eNAM portal, an agro e-trading platform, was inaugurated only last week.

Chilli farmers from faraway places of Telangana reached the yard this early morning to dispose their produces. However, they were shocked with meagre prices being offered to them. Alleging that they were being cheated through online procurement system, they attacked the office of the market yard, located on the first floor of the yard building.

The irate chilli farmers damaged the furniture leading to escalation of tension. Farmers were brought into order with the intervention of the police. They then shut the gates to the market yard.

The farmers complained that they were not getting remunerative prices for their produce. They had heated argument with officials of the marketing department. Raising slogans against the officials, the farmers attacked the office.

According to farmers they were offered about Rs 600 per quintal, where as farmers in yards like Warangal, Khammam and Guntur are getting almost double of the amount around Rs 1200. In Bangalore, farmers are getting for the same quality a price upto Rs 1400. Incidentally in all these yards digital marketing systems are not put in place.

The officials, however, denied the allegations and said the system was being implemented in a transparent manner. The market has been witnessing problems over the last three weeks due to cash crunch. The onion market remained shut as traders had no liquid cash to procure stocks or to pay to porters.