Kadapa: Days have turned sour and bitter for sugarcane farmers in the district. With the closure of the co-operative sugar factory in Chennur, the area under sugarcane cultivation across the district has come down significantly.
Sales have dipped alarmingly although farmers here and there are cultivating sugarcane. In order to survive, some farmers are moving to other areas to sell their produce. However, they are facing problems as owners of industries are making haphazard payments. The ordeal is such that around 262 farmers have not received payments for the sugarcane yields of two years back. An industry in Nellore district’s Podalakuru owes Rs 3 crore to farmers in the district.
The aggrieved farmers brought their plight to the notice of Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy and Mydukuru MLA Raghuramireddy when they came to Chapadu for the inauguration of new secretariat buildings on October 18 last year. The MP immediately spoke to the assistant cane commissioner and urged him to come to the aid of the farmers. A few days ago, the farmers explained their problems to Ambati Krishnareddy, chief adviser to the state agriculture department. However, no action has been taken so far.
Dastgiri Reddy, a farmer from Rajugaripeta village in Chapadu mandal, said about 31,500 tonnes of sugarcane was sent to the factory from his village. He said that around Rs 30 lakh was paid to them at the beginning of the shipment of sugarcane but the balance has been pending for two years now. He said he has not been cultivating sugarcane since then.
Chinnakondareddy, another farmer from Rajugaripeta village, said he had supplied 1,000 tonnes to the factory, whose owner paid him Rs 2 lakh. And that was that. He said that he was in serious financial trouble and asked the authorities to intervene and support sugarcane farmers by clearing the dues. He urged political leaders in the district to work for the re-opening of Chennuru Sugar Factory.
Sugarcane was formerly cultivated on thousands of acres in the Chapadu mandal. Now the acreage of crop cultivation has been significantly reduced.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy assured that steps will be taken to reopen the Chennur sugar industry. No decision has been taken so far except for a committee appointed by the government to look into the matter.
With the Chennur Sugar Factory remaining shut, farmers in the district have been moving sugarcane to a private industry in Podalakuru for the past few years. However, they are not getting payments.
Ambati Krishna Reddy told Deccan Chronicle that he has taken the issue to the issue of Jagan Mohan Reddy. The factory management is in a financial crisis, but they assured to settle all pending bills, he said.
Assistant cane commissioner John Victor, speaking to Deccan Chronicle, said that he has already discussed the payment of dues with factory management. They have promised him to pay half of the dues within a week and the remaining is to be paid after a month.
