Chilli farmers from Prakasam district demanded government to open the purchase centres

Naguluppalapadu (Prakasam district): The chilli farmers from the Prakasam district demanded that the government immediately open the purchase centres and keep the promise made to them.

The Andhra Pradesh Raithu Sangham and Andhra Pradesh Kauu Raithu Sangham organized a chilli farmers' conference at Naguluppalapadu High School on Monday evening.

The Raithu Sangham district secretary P Hanumantha Rao, president P Balakotaiah, NG Padu mandal secretary Gogineni Basavapunnaiah, president Marella Venkatarao, Kaulu Raithu Sangham district vice president J Jayanth Babu, district leaders Sk Mabu, T Srikanth, and others spoke at the meeting and observed that the chilli farmers suffered losses for the last two years due to less produce and nonavailability of minimum support price.

This year, they said that the produce and prices are encouraging, but the lockdown has destroyed the hopes of the farmers. They said that before the lockdown, they witnessed the price Rs 20000 per ton for Teja variety, but the rate is dropped to Rs 12000 now.

The bankers also didn't offer any loans on the chilli this year, and the tenant farmers and farmers are unable to invest in the crop now.

The farmers demanded that the government should keep its word of opening chilli purchase centers in the district, immediately. They demanded that the government should also see there will be no price drop at the time of the purchase as the merchants are trying to rob them now.