Jaggery trade came to a halt on Sunday at the Anakapalle jaggery market, the biggest in the State, as the workers went on a strike demanding a wage hike.

Wage revision is due and the workers served a strike notice fifteen days ago. Presently, the workers are being paid 90 paise for 10 kg of jaggery and they want it raised to Rs 1.20 per lump. The Anakapalle Jaggery Merchants' Association has offered Rs 1.10 per lump. The talks failed on Monday and another round is scheduled for Tuesday.

According to Mr Butchiraju, a trader, the issue should be resolved quickly, or the trade as well as the farmers would suffer.