Government failed to ensure MSP for farmers, alleges YSRCP

The YSRCP has accused the NDA government of neglecting farmers’ issues and making false declarations in the Assembly.

Speaking to the media at the party central office at Tadepalli on Sunday, YSRCP general secretary (Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare) M.V.S. Nagi Reddy alleged that the government failed to ensure remunerative prices for farmers, particularly chickpea (Bengal gram) cultivators.

Mr. Nagi Reddy said the government was insensitive to the distress of chickpea farmers, as prices had sharply declined due to reduced import duties. While the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for chickpea was announced at ₹5,800 per quintal, farmers would still incur losses without an additional ₹1,000 bonus. The State government failed to exert pressure on the Centre to reinstate higher import tariffs, he said.

According to him, chickpea cultivation had been undertaken in about 3.72 lakh hectares this Rabi season, with production expected to exceed seven lakh tonnes. However, procurement had not yet commenced, and farmers were reportedly selling at significantly lower prices in markets such as Kurnool and Adoni, where rates had fallen to around ₹5,089 and ₹4,939 per quintal, respectively.

Raising concerns about maize farmers, he said maize cultivation covered over 4.37 lakh hectares this season, largely in Rayalaseema. Despite an MSP of ₹2,400 per quintal last Kharif season, farmers reportedly sold maize at around ₹1,400.

The YSRCP leader criticised delays in completing the e-crop registration process, stating that procurement linked to central allocations of 94,500 tonnes at ₹8,775 per quintal had not begun. He alleged that the government’s inaction was forcing farmers to sell produce below MSP.

The YSRCP leader accused the Agriculture Minister of making misleading statements in the Assembly regarding free electricity supply and agricultural procurement. He asserted that free power to horticulture crops and nurseries was introduced during the previous regime and that agricultural power supply was streamlined to daytime.

“Instead of making grand announcements in the Assembly, the government must act on the ground,” Mr. Nagi Reddy said, urging immediate steps to secure additional procurement approvals from the Centre and protect farmers from financial distress.