In Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha district, famous for its tomato exports, people could be seen gathering fresh and juicy red fruits strewn all over the streets by angry farmers. About 100 farmers in the district not only destroyed their tomato crop, but dumped tonnes of tomatoes on major roads leading to Amroha.
They shouted slogans against the government, but allowed passersby to pick and take away these tomatoes for free. They then went to the office of the district magistrate and gifted him two kilos of tomatoes.
The symbolic protest aimed at drawing the government’s attention towards the falling prices of tomatoes at the local mandi (market), which they say isn’t enough to cover the production and transport expenditure.
The district has emerged as a major producer and exporter of tomatoes, but the farmers are unable to reap any benefits.
