Byadgi Chilly Market

I used to frequent Byadgi APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) with my colleagues during the years 1999 & 2000 to setup an electronic weigh bridge. The work dragged on due to the staff's pathetic attitude. Many times I felt they spoke as though carrying out their duty was like doing a favor. We had to put up with a lot of nonsense. Anyway, this is the weighbridge site, one corner of the market yard. 

Under normal circumstances, a weigh bridge could be installed in 3 months but here it took almost a year and two dozen trips to the site. This picture was taken after handover.

Over the months we saw different seasons of the market. I think  the peak is during the last quarter i.e. Oct to Dec. The market traded in other food grains but chilly was the king here. During the peak of the chilly season, it was red everywhere; massive heaps of red chilly, women sitting in groups cleaning & sorting, and men filling, weighing sacks, and loading the sacks into trucks.

This is my favorite picture. This young man has climbed into the sack so that his weight stuffs the sack densely. Despite the pungent odor, he was all smiles when I aimed the camera at him.The place, not just the market, the entire town buzzes with activity; trucks, bullock-carts, material, people, dogs, pigs... The market air itself is chilly flavored.

This where I first saw how tough a farmer's life can be. They toil and sweat in the fields for months to get a good yield. Then bring their produce to the market to be harassed by the heartless APMC staff. Everyone of us, should know what a farmer goes through to feed the country and learn to value food. Never ever take food & water for granted.

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