Forum to help ryots sell produce in Hyderabad directly

HYDERABAD: After helping the tomato farmers to sell their produce at a better price, members of Forum for IT Professionals (ForIT) will now be spending the first weekend of the New Year by facilitating farmers in transporting and selling their vegetables and fruits in the city directly.
About 100 volunteers from the ForIT will be helping farmers sell three types of vegetables and two varieties of fruits at about 15 different locations, including gated communities, in the city.“At a time when farmers were being offered Rs 2 per kg, we facilitated them to sell about four-and-a-half tonnes of tomato at Rs 15 per kg. This time, the plan is to help them sell about 12 tonnes of their produce at a better price,” Kiran Chandra, resident, ForIT, told TOI, adding that while the IT employees paid for transport charges last weekend, this time, the farmers are more confident. “Farmers are going to get vegetables and fruits directly to the city this time. All we have to do is show them a place to sell their fruits and vegetables,” he added.
Members of the forum said it is disheartening to see that farmers are not able to get the minimum support price for their produce. They said that because of the Delhi protests, denizens are aware of the farmers’ struggle and are sympathetic towards their cause. “People are coming forward to buy directly from the farmers even if it means they have to spend slightly more,” said Praveen Chandrahas, general secretary of the forum, adding that they received an overwhelming response from denizens last Saturday.