Khammam: BRS MLA and senior leader T. Harish Rao on Friday accused the Congress government of failing to ensure the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy, cotton, and chilli, which he said has caused financial distress to farmers in the state.
During his visit to a cotton procurement centre in Khammam, Harish Rao interacted with farmers who complained about long waits of up to 10 days to sell their produce, only to face delays as officials failed to weigh their cotton.
Harish Rao criticised the Congress government, stating that the plight of farmers has worsened since it assumed power. He alleged that the government has not fulfilled key promises made to farmers in its Warangal Declaration, including crop loan waivers, financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per acre to tenant farmers, and Rs 15,000 per acre investment support under the Rythu Bharosa scheme, despite being in office for a year.
He pointed out that farmers received Rs 11,000 per quintal for cotton in 2021 under the BRS government, whereas they are now struggling to secure Rs 7,500 per quintal. Due to difficulties in selling their cotton at Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) procurement centres, many farmers are forced to sell to brokers for Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 per quintal. These brokers, in turn, sell the cotton at CCI centres for Rs 7,500 per quintal, reaping profits. Harish Rao urged the state government to offer a Rs 500 bonus per quintal of cotton and to take measures to curb broker exploitation.
He further claimed that the price of chilli has also dropped drastically, from Rs 23,000 per quintal during the BRS government to Rs 13,000 per quintal under the Congress government.
Highlighting the challenges faced by paddy farmers in Khammam district, Harish Rao said that while they produced four lakh metric tons of fine rice paddy this season, only 19,000 MT has been purchased through government procurement centres. Farmers were forced to sell two lakh MT of paddy to private traders at Rs 2,100 per quintal, below the MSP of Rs 2,320.
He criticised the Congress government for mismanagement in paddy procurement, citing contradictory statements from officials. While minister for civil supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy announced that 90 lakh MT of paddy would be procured, civil supplies commissioner D.S. Chauhan mentioned only 70 lakh MT.
Harish Rao also blamed the government for failing to provide adequate transportation facilities to shift paddy to mills, causing significant delays and forcing farmers to wait 10 to 12 days at procurement centres. This situation, he said, is compelling farmers to sell their paddy to private traders at prices below the MSP.
“If this situation continues, farmer suicides will rise again in the state,” Harish Rao warned, urging immediate action to address the issues.
