Jagan blames AP govt inaction for tobacco farmers’ suicides, demands inclusion of Markfed into auction

Podili: Reiterating that farmers are in distress and two tobacco farmers committed suicide as they could not get any help from the coalition government, former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy demanded that the State rope in Markfed as a buyer in the auction and ensure average price to the farmers, failing which they will launch an agitation.

“We demand that the government bring in Markfed in the capacity of a buyer at the auction and ensure at least an average price at Rs 280, failing which, we will take up an agitation with the farmers,” YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said.

Tobacco farmers’ suicides

Speaking to media after interacting with tobacco farmers at the Tobacco Board here on Wednesday, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said the tobacco prices have drastically fallen from the previous year and with no help coming from the State government, two farmers one in Paruchuru and the other from Kondepi had committed suicide and yet the government which had given permission to increase the extent of cultivation by around 20 per cent has miserably failed to provide MSP.

Just in one year, the difference is tangible as to how the farmers are pushed back into uncertainty from being confident as they were getting all subsidies, inputs and marketing facilities on time, he said.

Tobacco prices have fallen

Last year, when YSRCP was in power, tobacco was sold at Rs 360 per kg, and now the prices have fallen drastically to Rs 240 per kg for graded variety and with the coalition government giving its nod, the extent was increased.

While the government was supposed to procure 220 million tons, it has procured just 40 million tons. The input costs have gone up, the extent of crop has increased, but the prices have fallen, which has pushed the farmers into a distressful situation, the former CM said.

‘No MSP for any crop’

Not just tobacco, farmers are not getting MSP for any crop. Paddy has been procured at Rs 300 less than the MSP and the coalition government has been neglecting farmers. Farmers from West Godavari had said that the prices of tobacco dropped from Rs 1,050 to Rs 380 and palm oil prices have fallen from Rs 23,365 to Rs 18,660, which shows the apathy of the government towards agriculture.

‘Middlemen have taken over’

While Rythu Bharosa was being implemented during the sowing season on time during the YSRCP term, this time, the Central component has come, but the State share is found wanting, he said. With RBKs being shut down, the farmers are unable to get quality seeds, e-cropping, marketing and other services and the middlemen have taken over in the government led by chief minister Chandrababu Naidu.

He has promised to pay MSP to chilli but had never kept his promise and all farmers from millets, to horticulture, cotton, turmeric no one is getting MSP and all this has happened in just one year, he said adding that the YSRCP government has evolved a machinery to monitor the cropping pattern, supply quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, collect data and the price stabilisation and calamity stabilisation funds were put to use, he said.

During Chandrababu’s previous term as were there were over 600 suicides and relief was not given by the TDP government but they got their compensation only after YSRCP assumed office, he said.