Banana farmers are in distress, says Andhra Pradesh Congress chief Sharmila

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y.S. Sharmila on Friday said banana farmers were in distress in the State. “The crop that once showered wealth is now bringing tears to the farmers,” she said on X. While the farmers drowned in losses, the coalition government remained indifferent to their distress, she alleged. She pointed out that the price crashed from ₹28,000 per tonne to just ₹1,000 per tonne, and accused the government of doing nothing to alleviate their woes.

Holding the Horticulture Department responsible for the crisis, Ms. Sharmila said the farmers were forced to dump the crop as cattle feed. She demanded that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu direct the officials to probe the cause of price crash and ensure farmers received at least ₹25,000 per tonne as a remunerative price.