Date:13/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/13/stories/2009011360180600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Truckers’ strike plays spoilsport

Staff Reporter

Cotton ryots at Nakrekal unable to dispose of produce

– Photo: Singam Venkataramana

Tough times: A woman serving food to her son at CCI marketyard in Nalgonda on Monday.

NALGONDA: Though the truckers strike was called off on Monday evening, cotton farmers camping at Nakrekal marketyard for the past one week are unable to dispose of their produce and are likely to miss the ‘bhogi’ festival celebrations on Tuesday. Over 30,000 quintals of cotton bags have piled up at the marketyard in the open . “I have been staying here with the cotton produce as I could not afford to go back to my village,” said Srisailam of Manaikunta village of Mothkur mandal. “We have reaped rich harvest and hoped to celebrate ‘bhogi’ with our families. However, it appears that we had to spend the festival in the yard ,” he deplored.

“The government should press into action more trucks to ensure speedy disposal of our stocks to save us from the predicament,” demanded another farmer Yadaiah.

The Nakrekal CCI centre attracts huge number of cotton farmers from different mandals such as Suryapet, Shali Gouraram, Mothkur, and Tirumalagiri due to its location on the National Highway 9. More than 350 lorry loads of cotton stocks have been accumulated at the yard due to the truckers strike, said R. Biksham, the special grade secretary of the yard. “We have kept ready 500 tarpaulins to protect the cotton stocks in the event of unexpected rain,” the special grade secretary said.