‘Remove 25% procurement ceiling’: Naidu demands urgent help from Centre for Andhra’s chilli farmers facing ‘huge losses’

Naidu, along with his party colleagues and Union Ministers Ram Mohan Naidu and Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, came to Krishi Bhawan and held a video conference with Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was away from his office. Naidu’s TDP is a key alliance partner of the NDA which is currently in power at the Centre.

“Today, I came here to represent the chilli farmers’ issue. This year, chilli farmers have been suffering because of prices. They are incurring huge losses. I asked him (Chouhan) to intervene immediately through market intervention. They have some restrictions—25 per cent—in procurement. I asked them to remove that restriction to help liberally,” Naidu said after the video conference.

Naidu said that the price suggested by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is not suitable for Andhra Pradesh. Naidu also sought the Centre’s help in increasing exports of chilli.

“They are going to review that tomorrow as well. We want to protect the farmers in Andhra Pradesh,” Naidu said.

He noted that not only chilli, but there is also a problem with tomatoes, for which they are seeking transportation and other charges. Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi and other senior officials were present during the video conference.

According to sources, the Union Agriculture Ministry has called a meeting on Friday to discuss the issues raised by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister during the video conference.

In a statement, Chouhan’s office said that the Agriculture Minister immediately directed the Agriculture Secretary and other officials to find an immediate solution to the said problem, and also instructed to coordinate with other related central ministries in this regard.

Chouhan assured Naidu that the Ministry will soon take appropriate measures for the welfare of red chilli producing farmers of Andhra Pradesh. Chouhan told the officials to also discuss the opportunities to increase the export of red chilli, so that farmers can get maximum benefit from it. Andhra Pradesh also requested help from the Center by citing the issue of tomato prices, on which Chouhan said that under the scheme of the Ministry of Agriculture, the transportation cost will be borne in the interest of the farmers.

Naidu who was in the national capital to attend the oath taking ceremony of Delhi chief Minister Rekha Gupta also met union Jalshakti Minister CR Patil in the evening.