Scene Reversed: Telangana Farmers Now Selling their Produce in Karnataka
According to the reports from the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district, the farmers of Mahbubnagar, Nagar Kurnool, Vanaparthi, Jogulamba Gadwal and Narayanpet districts of Palamur, farmers have cultivated 7,10,993 acres of paddy this kharif.
Hyderabad: The farmers of Karnataka who used to bring their produce to Palamur in Telangana and sell it, since last season, but this time the scene was reversed. In many parts of the joint Mahabubnagar, grain harvested in Kharif is being sold in Karnataka, because of the failure of the State government headed by the Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to set up procurement centers in a timely manner.
According to the reports from the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district, the farmers of Mahbubnagar, Nagar Kurnool, Vanaparthi, Jogulamba Gadwal and Narayanpet districts of Palamur, farmers have cultivated 7,10,993 acres of paddy this kharif.
As a result, the authorities have set a target of setting up 822 government procurement centers. So far, only 442 centers have been made available. In many areas, crop harvesting centers are yet to open.
Apart from the erstwhile Mahbubnagar farmers, the rice producers from Narayanpet district, Jogulamba Gadwal district are moving grain to Raichur in Karnataka and selling it. The farmers say that they were getting the payment between Rs. 1,740 to Rs. 1,800 per quintal.
Keeping in view the current situation of political disturbances in the State of Telangana, large number of middle men (Troop robbers) have entered into the field resorted to robbery, mainly in Vanaparthi and Nagarkurnool districts, the labours of the farmers is being exploited vertically.
The government support price is Rs. 1,960 per quintal for any grade of paddy and Rs. 1,940 per quintal for the general variety. Brokers are buying it from Rs. 1,050 to Rs. 1,400 per quintal. Farmers go to the mills where the grain dries and they are deceived with tricks. (3 to 6 kgs will be deducted for a 40 kg bag).
It is learnt that after collecting large quantities of grain, they moved to Raichur in lorries and sold it. It is also learnt that some big private traders are storing the grain which they have bought. The farmers are also facing the problem of gunny bags as the State government is not showing any interest in providing the gunny bags.
