YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has promised to bring smiles back on the faces of the farmers by providing them financial assistance to offset the increasing cost of farm inputs, including seed and fertilizers.
Mr. Reddy, whose Praja Sankalpa Yatra entered the 106th day on Wednesday, gave this assurance to a group of farmers from Hanumojipalem, which formed part of the agrarian Parchur Assembly segment in Prakasam district.
The farmers lamented that they were not getting remunerative price for the produce.
The market price of crops such as bengal gram, chilli, and red gram ruled below the minimum support price (MSP), they said. Responding, Mr. Reddy said his party, if voted to power, would announce minimum guaranteed price before commencement of kharif and rabi seasons so that the farmers could make a well-informed decision.
A calamity relief fund and a market intervention fund would also be constituted, he said.
The prices plummeted at the time of harvest and increased after procurement by the traders, Mr. Reddy noted. The padayatra covered Jarubulavaripalem; Kodavalivaripalem; Kesavarapupadu; Rangapppanaidupalem; Nandiguntapalem; and Santaravuru.
A good number of farm labourers, who were in the midst of farm operations, rushed to have a glimpse of Mr. Reddy. Some of them took selfies with him.
A group of farmers growing white burley tobacco told the YSRCP president that productivity had been hit severely due to the prolonged dry spell. They sought his intervention to ensure at least ₹8,000 per quintal for them to break even.
Health services
Mr. Reddy assured employees who run the 108 service that the health services would be revamped once the YSRCP assumed office.
