*Tobacco farmers crushed as prices collapse under coalition rule*

Devarapalli, May 06: YSRCP leaders launched a massive dharna at the Devarapalli Tobacco Board office demanding Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Virginia tobacco and immediate acceleration of procurement from farmers. The protest was led by former minister and YSRCP East Godavari district president Chelluboina Venugopala Krishna, along with former Home Minister Taneti Vanitha, former MLAs Jakkampudi Raja, Satti Suryanarayana Reddy, Talari Venkata Rao, senior leaders, farmers, and party cadre. YSRCP leaders stated that tobacco farmers are being pushed into severe distress under the coalition government as Virginia tobacco prices have crashed from nearly Rs.400 per kg in previous years to around Rs.260 per kg now, while cultivation costs have crossed Rs.300 per kg, leaving farmers with heavy losses and no support from the government.
Former minister Chelluboina Venugopala Krishna said the coalition government has completely abandoned farmers and is forcing them into “real suffering” while speaking about “real-time governance.” He stated that thousands of tobacco farmers are being ruined as they are unable to even recover cultivation costs, yet the government remains indifferent. He criticised the government for failing to intervene despite the severe collapse in tobacco prices and warned that YSRCP would intensify the agitation if farmers are not protected immediately. He also said the government showed more concern for Amaravati during the recent fuel crisis while ignoring the hardships of ordinary people and farmers.

Former MLA Satti Suryanarayana Reddy said YSR Rajasekhara Reddy and later Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy treated farmers like “kings” through welfare and market support, whereas the coalition government has pushed them back into distress and uncertainty. He warned that farmers are once again being driven toward suicides because of the absence of remunerative prices and government intervention.
YSRCP leader G. Srinivasa Naidu stated that tobacco farmers are in a heartbreaking condition, with prices falling drastically despite repeated assurances from the government. He pointed out that even the minimum remunerative level of Rs.330 per kg is not being realised and said the coalition government has failed to implement any effective price stabilisation mechanism. He recalled that under Y.S. Jagan’s government, farmers were protected through the Price Stabilisation Fund whenever market prices crashed.

Former MLA Talari Venkata Rao said tobacco is the lifeline crop for upland farmers in Gopalapuram constituency and recalled how late Chief Minister Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had once spent nearly Rs.500 crore to procure tobacco and rescue farmers during a crisis. He also noted that Y.S. Jagan had personally visited Devarapalli during an earlier crisis and pressured the government to increase prices for farmers. He said the present coalition government has failed to ensure MSP not only for tobacco but also for paddy and maize farmers, with maize being sold far below the MSP of Rs.2,400.
YSRCP leader Guduru Srinivasa Rao stated that nearly 12,500 farmers cultivate tobacco across about 30,000 hectares in the Devarapalli region and are now facing severe financial distress due to the absence of MSP and delayed procurement. Former MLA Jakkampudi Raja said every time Chandrababu Naidu comes to power, farmers are pushed into crisis, whereas the YSRCP government stood firmly with farmers through reforms, RBKs, procurement support, and welfare measures from seed to sale. He said the coalition government lacks even the minimum commitment to support farmers despite collecting taxes from the people.
Former Home Minister Taneti Vanitha said tobacco farmers are unable to sell their produce due to poor prices and fear that prolonged storage will damage crop quality. She said the coalition government has failed to provide even basic agricultural support such as timely fertiliser supply and accused it of diverting attention instead of addressing farmers’ problems. She reiterated that YSRCP remains the only party consistently standing with farmers through systems like RBKs and direct market support.
YSRCP leaders demanded that the state government immediately intervene, announce MSP for Virginia tobacco, and expedite procurement on a war footing to rescue farmers from mounting losses. They warned that if the government continues to ignore farmers, the agitation would be intensified across the state until justice is delivered to tobacco growers.