Telugu Desam Party (TDP) demanded that the minimum support price (MSP) for cotton should be increased from Rs. 4,100 to Rs. 5,000 per quintal.
TDP legislator Errabelli Dayakar Rao visited the Enumamula Agricultural Market and interacted with the cotton farmers here on Monday.
Party leader G. Satyanarayana, R. Prakash Reddy, D. Sambaiah and others accompanied him.
Speaking to newsmen, Dayakar Rao wanted the Centre and State governments and the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to initiate immediate measures to enhance the minimum support price. The price now offered to the farmers was very less compared to the cost of cultivation.
The farmers were not left with any margin even after toiling for months.
Espousing the cause, the TDP would launch protests at all mandals.
Marketing Minister T. Harish Rao should also look into the demand of the farmers and make efforts to address it.
When the TRS was in opposition, the same Harish Rao went round the agricultural markets talking on behalf of farmers. Now, the TDP was doing the same asking on behalf of farmers.
But, Harish Rao blames the opposition of politicising silly issues, Dayakar Rao rued.
Referring to the pending dues related to crop loan waiver, TDP leader wanted one-time clearance of the loans. Phased-manner waiver of the loans has put farmers in trouble. The State government should keep up its promise clearing loan at one go.
Release waiver
amount of crop loans
Dayakar Rao also wanted the government to release Rs.1,000 crore immediately to waive all the crop loans. If the government failed, his party would give a call for bandh and launch a series of agitations.