The cold storages in Andhra Pradesh are full to the brim with bengal gram stocks, with the farmers finding no takers for the produce. Close to 17.23 lakh quintals of bengal gram, mostly Kabul variety, is lying in cold storages as there is no remunerative price for the growers for the last three years. The prices have come down to Rs. 3,100 per quintal (this year) from Rs. 8,000 a quintal in 2011.
One of the major reasons attributed for the fall in the price is the Exim policy of the Centre. Farmers associations say that exportable variety of bengal gram was lying in cold storages in the wake of imports from countries such as Australia.
On the other hand, farmers are in stress with the bankers gearing up to auction the stocks piled up in cold storages in Guntur and Prakasam districts. The farmers, according to a rough estimate, availed loans worth Rs. 516 crore since 2012. The bankers are scheduled to meet on October 7 (Tuesday) to chalk out plans to auction the stocks and recover the dues, while the farmers have geared up to lay siege to Collectorate to mount pressure on the government to commence bengal gram procurement.
The farmers are clueless as to how they will wriggle out of the situation as banks have issued notices to auction their produce. Koulu Rythu Sangham State secretary Nagaboyina Ranga Rao says that the situation has turned worse. The problem cropped up with the Centre restricting exports and favouring import of bengal gram in 2011. Since then, the prices have slumped every year, he says.
Former MP Yelamanchili Shivaji, however, refutes this theory saying the imports were 31 lakh tonnes during last 12 years. About 11 lakh tonnes of pulses were exported to different countries, he says.
A farmers’ delegation met Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in August. Mr. Naidu asked Agriculture Minister P. Pulla Rao and Transport Minister Siddha Raghava Rao to formulate guidelines and commence purchases in 15 days. But, it never materliased. When the farmers laid siege to Mr. Pulla Rao’s residence, the Minister pleaded helplessness, Mr. Rao adds.
