Vegetables dumped on road to protest strike

SARLAHI, AUG 12 -

Farmers from Lalbandi VDC in the district dumped their vegetables on East-West Highway protesting the ongoing public transport strike called by transport entrepreneurs and workers. The farmers threw away their produce claiming that the strike had caused them a huge loss.

Around 30 tonnes of vegetables are exported every day to various cities such as Kathmandu, Pokhara and Birgunj from the VDC alone.

Megha Bahadur Lama, a local farmer, said he was earning Rs 18 from one kg of vegetables on average, but because of the strike he hardly earned Rs 5 from the same quantity.

“We are compelled to sell our vegetables for peanuts,” said Lama, adding that it would cost Rs 5 on average to produce one kg of vegetables.

Local trader Ram Daresh Chaudhary said the vegetables did not fetch good prices as it was very difficult to ferry the produce to market due to the strike. Meanwhile, the farmers decided to prevent private vehicles too from plying along the highway by dumping the road with their produce and even throwing vegetables at passing vehicles. They also dumped vegetables purchased by traders on the road.

However, some farmers sold their produce at Hariaun bazaar, some 10 kilometers from the VDC.

Gobinda Mahat, chief of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee in Lalbandi, said farmers had to bear a heavy loss due to the strike.

Source: http://www.ekantipur.com/2012/08/12/national/vegetables-dumped-on-road-to-protest-strike/358624/