Ongole: All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee demanded that government purchase the tobacco

Ongole: The Prakasam district unit of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) demanded that the government purchase the tobacco and Bengal gram from the farmers and save them from losses.

In the protest held at the Collectorate on Monday, the president of Development Forum for Socio Economic Change in Prakasam district Chunduru Rangarao, NG Ranga Kisan Samstha secretary Chunchu Seshaiah, AP Rythu Sangham district general secretary Vadde Hanumareddy, OPDR leader Chavali Sudhakar, Social Forestry Farmers Association district president K Veerareddy, other farmers' leaders Cherukuru Vasu, U Prakasarao, Sd Sardar and others said that the tobacco farmers in the district were facing at least Rs 2 lakh loss per each barn and were not receiving minimum prices for the low and medium grade leaf due to the collusion among merchants.

They demanded that the government release Rs 200 crore to the Tobacco Board to purchase the low and medium grade tobacco from the farmers directly. They also explained that though the government fixed MSP of Rs 4,860 per quintal for Bengal gram, it is not being offered at the ground level.

They demanded that the government purchase the remaining Bengal gram through the Central and State agencies at the fixed MSP. They said that the Central government announced Rs 1,500 per quintal as a bonus to the 27,000 farmers who were registered last year, but released it only to 8,000 farmers. They urged the government to release the bonus to the remaining 19,000 farmers also immediately.