Angry and distressed farmers set fire to heaps of red chillies in front of the Enumamula, Kothagudem and Khammam chilli market yards after being unable to get fair prices for their produce. The farmers said that despite a good harvest, prices had crashed to as low as ₹3,000 per quintal, far below their production cost of around ₹7,000. Many who had taken loans to grow chillies were left in debt, as middlemen and traders allegedly exploited their situation. In frustration, several farmers burned their produce, demanding government intervention.