Farmers attending Rytu Dinostsavam had a platform to share their plight with the officials, here on Saturday.
Karne Somayya, a farmer, said the seeds that they sow were being eaten by peacocks while wild boars were destroying their crop. Though they do not want to cultivate cotton, they are forced to as it’s relatively safe and cannot be destroyed by birds or animals. “I request the government to help us erect fence around our farms and we will bear half of its cost,” he said.
Rytu Dinostsavam was organised by Telangana Manjeera Rytu Samakhya (TMRS) led by T. Pruthvi Raj at Sadashivapet to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Chowdary Charan Singh. A large number of farmers from five districts, including Medak, Sangareddy and Mahabubnagar, attended the meeting. On the occasion, they performed Gau puja while TMRS felicitated ten farmers and a teacher, Puli Raju, from Siddipet, who has been documenting the suicides of farmers since 2004.
Another farmer asked why was the pest problem left unaddressed though it was a huge concern among farmers. He also asked the government to clarify if they have to cultivate cotton or go for some other crop the next season given the destruction that pink bollworms have caused this season resulting in huge loss to cotton farmers. He alleged that they never receive any suggestion from the Agriculture Department on time.
Input cost
Managing director of Karthikeya Organic Farms, Munnuru Nagaraju, said farmers can reduce their input cost by switching over to organic farming. He was, however, quick to add that farmers have to wait for three years to reap the benefits of organic farming as the yield would be less. “We are ready to sign an agreement with the farmers if they produce organic crops and fix the price in advance. The said price will be paid even if the market price is less,” he told the farmers.
Former MLC R. Satyanarayana said the government has been taking all steps to make farming viable and as part of that, the Kaleswaram project was taken up. In the next three to four years, several areas in the district would get Godavari water. He also expressed serious concern over the dwindling number cattle in the State alleging that a large number of animals was being slaughtered at both the mechanised abattoirs—Al Kabeer and Allana—located in the district. He suggested farmers to take up work like digging trenches, farm ponds and making cattle sheds under the NREGS for additional income.
MLA Chinta Prabakar said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has been providing irrigation, investment and support price to farmers in the State.
