AP trucks with paddy stock denied entry into Telangana

Hyderabad: Even as the state government continues to struggle for procuring paddy from farmers produced in the recent kharif, a fresh row has erupted on the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border over transportation of paddy from Andhra Pradesh into Telangana as the latter has set up three check posts to prevent such transportation.

The check posts set up at three border points in Gadwal district bar the entry of trucks carrying paddy loads from Andhra Pradesh. The special check posts are at Nandinne in KT Doddi mandal, Balgera in Gattu mandal and Pulloor in Undavalli mandal.

Special teams of officials from police, revenue and agriculture departments inspect movements of AP trucks and send back vehicles carrying paddy stock.

This has resulted in frequent tussles between truck drivers and check post officials. The drivers contend that they have all permissions to transport paddy stocks as they have paid market cess and had secured e-way bills but TS officials refused entry into the state.

TS officials argue that the government is currently procuring paddy from local farmers for MSP after having set up hundreds of purchase centres. They make it clear that paddy stocks from outside states will be allowed only after the entire local paddy is purchased.

TS officials said that trucks from Kadapa and Kurnool districts were coming to Telangana to sell paddy for MSP since AP government is yet to launch procurement in their state. Due to the recent heavy rains in Andhra Pradesh, farmers are unable to store their produce and are transporting stocks to Telangana, TS officials claimed.

The first priority of the TS government is to procure stock from local farmers in order to protect the interests of Telangana farmers, they argued.