Potato farmers in Sadiya dump produce on highway, seek fair prices

Dibrugarh: In a desperate display of agricultural distress, hundreds of potato farmers in the Sadiya region of Tinsukia district staged a unique “road-blockade” on Monday by dumping tonnes of their produce on the national highway. The protest, which took place in the 8 Mile area, was a backlash against the plummeting prices of potatoes and the alleged exploitation by middlemen and business syndicates.Approximately 300 farmers, arriving on foot and accompanied by a fleet of 7-8 tractors, offloaded their harvests directly on to the tarmac. The highway, a critical transit route, was soon covered in a sea of potatoes as farmers shouted slogans against the state govt’s failure to protect local cultivators. The action resulted in a massive traffic snarl, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on both sides of the highway.The farmers alleged that despite Sadiya being one of Assam’s largest potato-producing regions, they receive only Rs 6 to Rs 7 per kg from middlemen and traders. In the open market, however, those same potatoes are sold for Rs 10 to Rs 14 per kg, resulting in huge profits for intermediaries while farmers struggle to recover their production costs.“We have no choice but to sell our potatoes to middlemen at throwaway prices because there is no proper market infrastructure in Sadiya. These traders then sell our produce at almost double the price, while we struggle to even recover our cultivation costs,” said Bidyut Borgohain, one of the protesting farmers.The farmers’ anger was further compounded by allegations that potatoes are being procured from other states despite Assam producing the crop in substantial quantities. They questioned the logic of importing potatoes when local farmers are being forced to sell their harvest at unremunerative prices due to lack of marketing channels.“Sadiya is one of the highest potato-producing areas in Assam, yet we have been completely neglected. While potatoes come from outside the state, our produce rots or is sold at losses. This is completely unjust,” another farmer stated.The blockade caused massive disruption to traffic movement along the national highway, with commuters and commercial vehicles caught in the jam. The situation prompted government officials to rush to the spot to negotiate with the agitating farmers.During discussions with authorities, the farmers presented two primary demands — establishment of a proper and modern market facility specifically for potato farmers in Sadiya and setting up of cold storage infrastructure to help them store their produce and prevent post-harvest losses.Officials told the farmers that their demands would be conveyed to higher authorities and appropriate action would be considered. The protesters eventually cleared the highway and dispersed, though they warned of intensifying their agitation if concrete steps are not taken to address their concerns.