YSRCP President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy Accuses Andhra Government Of Apathy Towards Tobacco Farmers

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday criticised the state’s NDA coalition government led by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), accusing it of failing to address the concerns of tobacco farmers. Reddy demanded that the government involve the Andhra Pradesh State Cooperative Marketing Federation (Markfed) in tobacco procurement to protect farmers from falling prices.

Speaking to the media after meeting tobacco farmers in Devarapalli in East Godavari district, Reddy said cultivators were facing severe financial difficulties due to rising production costs and declining market prices. He alleged that traders had formed a syndicate to control prices, leaving farmers with limited options and forcing many to sell their produce at distress rates.

Reddy claimed that the Tobacco Board had encouraged farmers to cultivate tobacco by assuring procurement support but later failed to fulfil its commitment. He alleged that only a small portion of the crop was being purchased, while traders were benefiting from the situation. The YSRCP chief said that during his government’s tenure in 2023-24, the average tobacco price was around Rs 289 per kg, while prices had fallen significantly after the TDP-led coalition government came to power.

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Highlighting measures taken during the previous YSRCP government, Reddy said Markfed was introduced as a buyer to increase competition and prevent price manipulation. He also claimed that farmers were provided zero-interest loans of up to Rs 1 lakh to support cultivation. Reddy alleged that the current government discontinued such measures, worsening the financial burden on tobacco growers as cultivation expenses increased and farmers struggled to get remunerative prices.

The former Chief Minister also raised concerns over the alleged suicide of a tobacco farmer, claiming that the farmer took the extreme step due to financial losses and that the government failed to respond adequately. He warned that prices could decline further as buyers may shift their focus to Karnataka auctions in the coming weeks, adding that the subsidy announced by the state government would benefit traders more than farmers.

Reddy urged the Andhra Pradesh government to immediately introduce Markfed into tobacco procurement to create competition and safeguard cultivators. During his interaction with farmers, he was informed that prices had reportedly increased slightly after news of his visit emerged, with farmers claiming that small and marginal growers were among the worst affected due to reduced procurement support. The Andhra Pradesh government has not yet responded to the allegations.

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