‘Chini’ (sweet lime or green oranges) farmers in the rain shadow districts of Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai are caught in a dilemma following drastic fall in the remunerative prices for their produce. The farmers are facing hardships due to insufficient rainfall and inadequate support prices for their crops. As a result, they are incurring significant losses.
The twin districts consider ‘chini’ as one of the prime horticultural crops and the farmers cultivating the crop in Guntakal, Gooty, Pamidi, Peddavaduguru and Kadiri regions alone are spread across an area of 9,111 acres. In order to grow the crop, farmers have to invest between ₹1 to 1.5 lakh per acre.
Unfortunately, insufficient rains, detrimental root rot and red-black pests have affected the crop production. Apparently, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government’s apathy towards farmers has drawn criticism from the farmers, who feel neglected. The Jagan government has been accused of weakening the prospects of horticulture crops, leaving the farmers in distress.
The farmers are struggling due to the low market price of ‘chini’. Previously, the price per tonne ranged from ₹50,000 to ₹60,000, however it has now plummeted to a price as low as ₹12,000. The low price, combined with brokers demanding excessive commissions, is causing substantial losses for the farmers. The commission agents in the region have an undue influence on determining the prices and many farmers are falling victim to their exploitative practices.
Some farmers have even been forced to hand over their harvested crops to brokers in the hope of paying off their debts. The farmers fear that without government intervention and fair pricing, they may spiral into insurmountable debt and are contemplating drastic measures.
“The coalition government in Andhra Pradesh must focus on aiding ‘chini’ farmers through awareness programmes on pest prevention, ensuring fair prices and direct procurement of yields from the farmers,” said Ashok, a farmer in Guntakal.
Another farmer, Ganesh, observed that by procuring the stocks from farmers at cheap prices, the traders are minting money, by exporting them to Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat and other northern States.
Published - August 03, 2024 06:37 pm IST
