Khammam: Rythus protest linking Bandhu with cropping

Khammam: Telangana government's decision to promote regulated farming from this Kharif season did not go well with some farming communities in the state. Farmers cultivating maize crops in Bhadradri – Kothagudem district upped the ante against the mandated adoption of regulated farming under which prescribed crops will only be taken up by farmers in the ensuing farming season.

The district authorities have prepared an action plan under which no farmer should take up maize cultivation and instead go in for paddy, cotton and red gram crops. As per the action plan, paddy should be sown in 1,53,767 acres, cotton 1,83,416 acres, red grams 13,500 acres, oil palm 18,392 acres, groundnut 1,850 acres, green gram 1,000 acres, sugarcane 315 acres, jowar 100 acres and other crops in 389 acres.

Farmers said that they have been cultivating maize besides cotton and chilli in a big way in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district. K Venkateswara Rao, maize farmer of Yellandu, said: "Government decision is shocking as the cultivation of maize is totally dependent on rainwater and the lands also not fit to take up other crops." He took strong exception to the condition of adopting regulated farming to avail the Rythu Bandhu benefit under which Rs 5,000 per acre will be given to the farmers as cash incentive in every farming season.

Last year, maize crop was cultivated in 43,512 acres and podu cultivators also preferred maize in thousands of acres. Maize was cultivated mainly in the agency mandals of Yellandu (15,083 acres), Gundala (13,085 acres) Tekulapally (5,412 acres), Allapally (4,397 acres) and Dhammaapet (4,127 acres). While part of the maize cultivated here was used for local consumption by farmers and part for sale in the markets.

More than 20,000 podu cultivators are also cultivating maize in the agency areas of the district. Podu lands were given to the tribals to cultivate the crops at their wish. The new condition of the regulated farming will hit the tribal farmers hard as they are neither acquainted with the skills to take up other crops nor do they have money to spend for costly fertilizers and seeds.

Protesting against the government decision, maize farmers took out rallies in Yellandu and other parts of the district. They resolved not to adopt the new crop farming unless they are given the assurance of good returns from the regulated farming.