<p>The self-imposed stoppage in growing crops in Andhra Pradesh’s rice belt, which has so far affected four lakh hectares this Kharif season, extended to six more districts. <br /><br />Left without help, and apparently without choice, farmers are now threatening to continue the agitation into the Rabi season, raising the possibility of a serious shortfall in rice production in the state. <br /><br />For the first time in the region’s agro history, farmers in 16 tahsils of the Konaseema belt in East and West Godavari Districts will not grow the paddy crop in the on-going Kharif season.<br /><br />The farmer’s agitation was prompted by falling support prices and steep production costs.<br /><br />“(Crop holiday) has been a painful decision for all of us in the region, who are used to growing three crops a year,” Kovvada Satya Rao, a paddy and coconut farmer of Pasharlapudi village (Amalapuram mandal, East Godavari district), said. <br /><br />Both Godavari districts have 11 lakh hectares of land irrigated by the river. Besides rice, they also grow cash crops like tobacco and sugar cane, contributing to nearly 60 per cent of the state’s foodgrain production. <br /><br />Farmers from Amalapuram, Katrenikona, I Polavaram, Inavilli, Allavaram, Uppalaguptam, Mamidikuduru, P Gannavaram, Razole, Ambajipeta, Mummidivaram, Atreyapuram, Ravulapalem, Kottapeta, Malikipuram and Sakhinetipalli mandals have announced they would cease cultivation. <br /><br />“We’re driven to such a desperate move due to rising cost and complete lack of apathy of the government,” said Kolli Nageswar Rao, a farmer's leader from Vijayawada, pointing at the meagre Rs 21,000 returns farmers get per acre from growing paddy. <br /><br />Farmer leaders also say that while paddy is sold for a minimum support price of Rs 1,110 per quintal, farmers have been forced to sell the grains to mills for Rs 600-700 per quintal. <br /><br />President of Rytanga Samakhya's State unit Yerneni Nagendranath accused the government of letting the farmers down. “Fertiliser and pesticide dealers make money because of farmers. Shortage of fertilisers may prompt farmers to extend the agitation to Rabi,” he said. <br /><br />Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the country’s premier agro research institute, has been concerned by the crop holiday. “We have to discuss and find a solution for the farmers‘ problems,” Dr K D Kokate, Deputy Director-General (Extension), ICAR, said during his visit to Hyderabad. He also agreed that farmers must get the right prices for their produce. <br /><br />After being misguided by officials that crop holidays are nothing but crop rescheduling for Rabi, the state government has finally formed the high-level committee under former state chief secretary Mohan Kanda to probe the issues. <br /><br />The committee consists of Dr M V Rao, who was associated with Green Revolution and former vice-chancellor of Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University and others.<br /></p>
<p>The self-imposed stoppage in growing crops in Andhra Pradesh’s rice belt, which has so far affected four lakh hectares this Kharif season, extended to six more districts. <br /><br />Left without help, and apparently without choice, farmers are now threatening to continue the agitation into the Rabi season, raising the possibility of a serious shortfall in rice production in the state. <br /><br />For the first time in the region’s agro history, farmers in 16 tahsils of the Konaseema belt in East and West Godavari Districts will not grow the paddy crop in the on-going Kharif season.<br /><br />The farmer’s agitation was prompted by falling support prices and steep production costs.<br /><br />“(Crop holiday) has been a painful decision for all of us in the region, who are used to growing three crops a year,” Kovvada Satya Rao, a paddy and coconut farmer of Pasharlapudi village (Amalapuram mandal, East Godavari district), said. <br /><br />Both Godavari districts have 11 lakh hectares of land irrigated by the river. Besides rice, they also grow cash crops like tobacco and sugar cane, contributing to nearly 60 per cent of the state’s foodgrain production. <br /><br />Farmers from Amalapuram, Katrenikona, I Polavaram, Inavilli, Allavaram, Uppalaguptam, Mamidikuduru, P Gannavaram, Razole, Ambajipeta, Mummidivaram, Atreyapuram, Ravulapalem, Kottapeta, Malikipuram and Sakhinetipalli mandals have announced they would cease cultivation. <br /><br />“We’re driven to such a desperate move due to rising cost and complete lack of apathy of the government,” said Kolli Nageswar Rao, a farmer's leader from Vijayawada, pointing at the meagre Rs 21,000 returns farmers get per acre from growing paddy. <br /><br />Farmer leaders also say that while paddy is sold for a minimum support price of Rs 1,110 per quintal, farmers have been forced to sell the grains to mills for Rs 600-700 per quintal. <br /><br />President of Rytanga Samakhya's State unit Yerneni Nagendranath accused the government of letting the farmers down. “Fertiliser and pesticide dealers make money because of farmers. Shortage of fertilisers may prompt farmers to extend the agitation to Rabi,” he said. <br /><br />Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the country’s premier agro research institute, has been concerned by the crop holiday. “We have to discuss and find a solution for the farmers‘ problems,” Dr K D Kokate, Deputy Director-General (Extension), ICAR, said during his visit to Hyderabad. He also agreed that farmers must get the right prices for their produce. <br /><br />After being misguided by officials that crop holidays are nothing but crop rescheduling for Rabi, the state government has finally formed the high-level committee under former state chief secretary Mohan Kanda to probe the issues. <br /><br />The committee consists of Dr M V Rao, who was associated with Green Revolution and former vice-chancellor of Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University and others.<br /></p>
