Finally, justice for subabul farmers

Hyderabad: Finally, the State government has decided to come to the rescue of subabul and eucalyptus farmers, who have been struggling to get a fair price to their produce. Marketing Minister T Harish Rao and Roads & Buildings Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao held a meeting with the representatives of the ITC, Bhadrachalam Paperboard Private Limited, and farmer leaders in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Tummala revealed that farmers in Telangana will also get the same support price as their counterparts in Andhra Pradesh. “We will take necessary action to eliminate the middlemen system so that farmers get remunerative price to their produce,” he said.

As of now, the ITC is providing Rs 4,508 per tonne. After deducting cutting, transportation and other miscellaneous expenditure, the farmers will get Rs 4,000 per tonne, Tummala said. Further, the ITC was told to purchase wood directly from farmers and release payment within a fortnight, he added. 

“The government will take necessary action to set up a dumping yard in each mandal besides appointing a nodal officer to coordinate between the ITC and the farmers,” the Minister said.