Telangana Retailers Give Away Tonnes Of Veggies For Free In Peddapalli Amid Tiff With Wholesalers

The conflict originated when retailers accused wholesalers of bypassing them and selling vegetables directly to consumers at retail prices.

Retail vegetable vendors in Peddapalli, Telangana, distributed free vegetables to residents on Tuesday, even as prices continued to soar across the country. The move was part of an ongoing dispute between retailers and wholesalers, which has intensified in recent days.

Videos from the town showed crowds gathering as word spread about the free distribution campaign organized by local vendors, as reported by India Today. Many residents rushed to the markets to collect the complimentary produce, a rare sight amid skyrocketing vegetable prices.

The conflict originated when retailers accused wholesalers of bypassing them and selling vegetables directly to consumers at retail prices. Retail vendors, struggling to compete, have seen their sales plummet, leading to significant financial losses. This dispute escalated after consumers, faced with high prices, started limiting their purchases, causing a glut of unsold produce rotting in storage facilities. In response, wholesalers began selling directly in the retail market, further squeezing out local vendors, as per a report on Deccan Chronicle.

Retailers urged wholesalers to stop selling in small quantities directly to consumers, but their requests were ignored. Feeling sidelined and financially threatened, the retailers decided to protest by distributing their stock of vegetables for free, highlighting their frustration with what they see as an unjust encroachment on their business.

The vendors argued that wholesalers’ direct sales are undermining their role in the supply chain, leaving them without a viable income, as per a report on Deccan Chronicle. This symbolic protest, distributing free vegetables, was aimed at drawing attention to the plight of small retailers whose livelihoods are at risk due to the wholesalers’ practices. 

Meanwhile, the Opposition protested against price rise of onions and other vegetables outside Parliament. The MPs wore garlands made of onion and said slogan 'pyaaj ka daam kam karo'.