Editor’s Note
This report highlights growing tensions in Maharashtra’s agricultural sector, where a significant price discrepancy in maize auctions has sparked protests. Farmers in Sambhajinagar are demanding fair market practices, underscoring the ongoing challenges in ensuring equitable pricing and transparent administration for India’s farming community.
A difference of 100–120 rupees per quintal has emerged in the maize auction at the Vaijapur Agricultural Market. Angry over the low prices, farmers have started a sit-in protest, accusing the administration of bias.
Farmers have accused traders of acting arbitrarily during the maize auction process at the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Vaijapur Agricultural Produce Market Committee and alleged that the administration is providing them protection.
After a price difference of 100 to 120 rupees per quintal came to light, farmer Lakshman Thombare from Bhaygaon expressed his outrage by parking five tractors loaded with maize directly in the market committee office complex. Traders offered Thombare’s approximately 200 quintals of maize a price of 1618 rupees per quintal, while 26 other vehicles of the same grade received prices ranging from 1700 to 1736 rupees.
Calling this injustice, Thombare, along with other farmers including Manoj Nale, Vijay Ambhore, and Umesh Ushir, surrounded Secretary Prahlad Mote and Assistant Secretary S. K. Nikam.
The administration proposed holding a re-auction in the evening, but the farmers rejected it and began a sit-in protest. The farmers allege that despite the government announcing a guaranteed price of 2460 rupees per quintal for maize, traders are looting farmers by offering lower prices.
The farmers made it clear that the tractors would not be moved until the Board of Directors takes a concrete decision. During this, Manoj Nale also raised questions, describing the resignation of the former chairman as motivated by political bias.
According to the administration, out of a total of 72 vehicles on Saturday, 46 received prices between 1400 and 1700 rupees, while 26 vehicles received prices above 1700 rupees.
