A farmer’s body was found hanging from a tree in his farm in Avarolli village near Khanapur in Belagavi district on Friday.
Kallappa Balekundri, 54, was upset that he was unable to sell the chilli grown in his farm due to the COVID-19 lockdown. “`He had grown nearly 50 quintals of chilli on 2.5 acres, but he was unable to transport or sell them. A few traders he had approached were quoting a low price of ₹500 per quintal. That would have fetched him only ₹25,000 and that would not have sufficed his harvesting charges,”’ police said.
On Friday, chilli was selling at between ₹6,000-7,000 per quintal in the wholesale market and at ₹8,000-10,000 in the retail market in Belagavi.
A pending loan of ₹5.5 lakh taken from banks and some money lenders added to his worry, an investigation officer said.
(Those in distress can call the suicide prevention helpline number 104 for counselling)
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