Warangal: Farmers see red over clamps on crop choice

Warangal: It seems there is a strong resentment over the State government's proposed policy to regulate the crops. As per the rider, the farmers will not be able to avail minimum support price (MSP) and the financial assistance under the Rythu Bandhu scheme, if they do not follow the government's farm suggestions.

The moot point of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is that the farmers should go for crops based on demand rather than mundane habits. The government's argument is that instead of all the farmers cultivating the same crops en masse, they should listen to the experts' suggestions to make agriculture more profitable.

While the government says that crops should be cultivated based on the demand and as well as the food habits of the locals, the farmers, whom The Hans India has contacted, have other ideas. Farmer Perumandla Amarender Reddy of Upparapally under Chenaraopet mandal in Warangal Rural district said: "It's a ridiculous proposal altogether. The farmers will decide what crop he should take as he is well aware of the conduciveness of his land." We will take up crops suggested by the government only if it assures that it would provide compensation in case of losses, he said. Further he added, "even though the government has been claiming that it was procuring all the produce from the farmers, it's other way around at the procurement centres." The other farmers said that cultivating maize is cheaper compared to other crops. It also requires minimum water facilities. Cultivation of cotton is costly and its yield is when the water source is abundant, they said.

Rythu Sangham Warangal Rural District General Secretary Peddarapu Ramesh said: "It's a ploy to evade the Rythu Bandhu benefits to the farmers. The cropping pattern is based on soil characteristics and not on government's policies. Farmers have every right to choose what he wanted to cultivate. Instead of focusing on farmers' hardships, the government is pushing them into debt trap again."

In 2017, the government discouraged farmers from cultivating cotton. Then the farmers took up the cultivation of pulses. In the end, they were left high and dry due to price crash, Ramesh recalled.