Irked over low price, growers dump kinnow outside Fazilka DC office

Fazilka, February 9

Kinnow growers today dumped the fruit outside Fazilka DC’s office over low price. The protesting farmers were first stopped by the police at Ghallu village and again at Shahtirwala Maur on the Fazilka-Abohar road.

The protesters, along with 50 kinnow-laden trailers, led by Sukhmandar Singh, district chief, Bharti Kisan Union, (Rajewal), sat on a dharna on the highway near Shahtirwala Maur. Later, they dumped kinnow outside the DC office.

Sukhamdar alleged that the Punjab Agro Industries Corporation (PAIC) had purchased kinnow of some influential persons at higher price but most farmers were being paid less than Rs 10 per kg by private traders.

Fazilka SDM Vipan Bhandari, who reached the spot along with PAIC officials, said a meeting of the district administration and the PAIC officials had been fixed for Monday.

He said the administration had sought the list of unsold kinnow from growers to ensure procurement.