Jagan Mohan Reddy Slams TDP Government for Failing Farmers in Andhra Pradesh
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has expressed concern over the distress faced by farmers in Andhra Pradesh, accusing the TDP-led coalition government of failing to secure remunerative prices for their produce. During a visit to the Mirchi Yard in Guntur, he interacted with farmers and highlighted the severe challenges they are facing due to the government’s neglect.
Jagan Mohan Reddy claimed that under the current government, farmers have been deprived of the Minimum Support Price (MSP), and there are no buyers for their crops. He pointed out that none of the major crops, including black gram, green gram, tomato, and cotton, are fetching MSP, leading to widespread frustration among the farming community.
He demanded that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu visit the Mirchi Yard to address the issue and support the farmers. The YSRCP chief revealed that the price of chillies has dropped drastically from Rs 27,000 to Rs 8,000 per quintal, with the yield per acre also falling significantly compared to the previous year. Rising input costs have further worsened the situation, particularly for tenant farmers, he added.
Jagan Mohan Reddy criticized the TDP-led government for not taking any action to alleviate the farmers’ hardships. He accused the government of prioritizing middlemen while abandoning the farmers, particularly in districts such as Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam, Kurnool, and Anantapuram.
He further pointed out that during the YSRCP’s tenure, the government not only provided MSP for crops like chillies, turmeric, and onions but also for 24 other crops. Additionally, the government had implemented reforms, such as the RBKs (Rythu Bharosa Kendras), and used technology to monitor commodity prices through the CM app. However, Jagan Mohan Reddy argued that the current government has rolled back many of these reforms, leaving farmers vulnerable.
Recalling the YSRCP’s initiatives to support farmers, including integrated farm labs for quality control and field staff for pest management, Jagan Mohan Reddy said that farmers had received the highest prices for their crops under his party’s rule. He lamented that under the TDP government, cotton farmers are receiving less than Rs 7,000 per quintal, compared to Rs 10,000 during YSRCP’s tenure, and tomato farmers are also struggling.
In conclusion, Jagan Mohan Reddy urged Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to step in and provide relief to the farmers who are facing dire economic conditions.
