Devarapalli, Aug 5: Former Chief Minister and YSRCP Chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has slammed the coalition government for its apathy towards tobacco farmers who are in deep distress as the cultivation cost has gone up manifold on one hand and the procurement prices have been falling down with companies forming into a syndicate and manipulating market dynamics
Speaking to media after interacting with the farmers here on Wednesday, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said the average price has been drastically falling and the farmers who were assured by the Tobacco Board of procurement have back stepped and the traders formed a cartel to keep the prices low forcing the farmers for distress sale.
Chandababu government is hand in glove with the syndicate and only 20 percent of the crop is procured though the Board has encouraged the farmers to go for tobacco assuring procurement but has gone back.
During YSRCP term in 2023-24 the average price of tobacco was Rs 289 per kg and in 27 months after the coalition government has assumed office it has dived down to Rs 220. Farmers said that they were selling tobacco at even Rs 170 per kg. We had robust mechanism to safeguard the interest of farmers and made Markfed a buyer to increase completion and keep the prices higher. This apart we have given Rs 1 lakh zero percent interest loans to farmers.
Chandrababu has done away with the zero percent interest and the farmers’ plight is further aggravated with the cultivation cost going up and the produce not getting MSP. Now farmers are losing at least Rs 70 per kg.
A tobacco farmer Venkateswar Rao has committed suicide unable to bear the loss and there is no response from the government, no public representative had come to console his family, he said.
In a month’s time buyers will shift to Karnataka for auctions and the prices will further fall pushing the farmers into further turmoil. The Rs 20 subsidy announced by the government will only help the traders to further reduce the prices.
The government should bring in Markfed to procure the produce and create competition failing farmers will further suffer.
In the 27 months after the coalition government was formed, farmers are not getting MSP to any of the crops be it paddy, banana, tobacco, pulses and others and all sections of people are venting their anguish. Education, Health, Agriculture and all sectors have been affected under Chandrababu governance. Anyone questioning the government is being targeted with false cases and arrests.
All sections of people are unhappy with the backstabbing (Vennupoti) Party which is depriving them of all welfare schemes.
During the interaction with farmers, he was told that they were getting only Rs 170 and Rs 10 was increased on the news that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was coming. During YSRCP term low grade toacco was also procured but now that practice is not there which is affected the small and marginal farmers.
*Government running away from DSC debate: Botcha*
