A.P. farmers demand immediate procurement of paddy at MSP

Farmer groups have demanded that the Andhra Pradesh government immediately purchase paddy at the declared Minimum Support Price (MSP), ensuring smooth procurement without delays.

They urged the officials to coordinate arrangements related to moisture percentage testing, transport trucks, gunny bags, and weighbridge facilities so that the harvested paddy can be transported to mills without further loss.

Addressing the media conference attended by the farmers from Krishna, Guntur and NTR districts on Wednesday, the representatives of various farmers’ bodies claimed that that government announcements remained only on paper, while the ground-level implementation is ‘failing miserably’.

Farmers stated that despite repeated assurances and publicity that problems would be resolved instantly through helplines, the reality of the procurement centres in the rural areas is different.

“Paddy is being purchased at ₹1,400 to ₹1,470 per quintal, far below the MSP and high moisture percentage in the produce is being cited as the reason,” said Vaka Ramachandra Rao, a tenant farmer from Challapalli.

Anne Subbarao from Katur village said harvesting machines were insufficient, forcing the farmers to pay exorbitant rents and resorting to distress sale.

Tenant farmer Ishaq from Undavalli stated that even high-quality grain was forcibly sold at ₹1,400. Subbarao from Chirravuru alleged that the procurement process was ‘extremely slow’ and the recent rains triggered by cyclone forced the farmers to sell their produce at ‘throwaway prices’.

“The officials refuse to provide gunny bags and transport facility, deliberately delaying the weighing of paddy,” he said.

Palle Krishna and Srinivasa Reddy from Vijayawada Rural mandal alleged that farmers were being compelled to sell their produce at lower rates.

Tenant Farmers’ Association State general secretary M. Haribabu reported facing similar issues in Movva mandal, adding that “the procurement staff were unable to explain moisture parameters and farmers were being directly sent to private mills where millers dictate the prices.”

“Even after informing the Collector, Joint Collector, RDO, Tahsildar, and Civil Supplies procurement officials, no action has been taken. Farmers are forced to sell away their produe at ₹1,470 per quintal, suffering a loss of ₹200 to ₹300 per bag. In a village of 1,000 acres, total loss amounts to ₹70 lakh to ₹1 crore,” he said.

Senior leaders Y. Keshava Rao, Jonna Siva Shankar and others spoke.