Farmers demand support prices, loan waivers at Anantapur protest

Anantapur – Andhra Pradesh: Farmers and leaders of the State Farmers’ Association Coordination Committee staged a protest at the Ambedkar statue in Anantapur, demanding immediate implementation of support prices for all crops and loan waivers. Led by State Farmers’ Association District General Secretary Chiruthala Mallikarjuna, District Secretary R Chandrasekhar Reddy, and All India Farmers’ Association District Secretary Nagaraju, the protesters criticized both state and central government policies for failing to protect farmers’ interests.

Unfulfilled promises and corporate influence

The protest leaders accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to fulfill his pre-election promises of increasing farmers’ incomes. They claimed that post-election policies were aimed at benefiting corporate entities rather than the farming community. They also pointed out that despite earlier assurances to repeal controversial farm laws and ensure support prices, farmers continue to struggle due to government inaction.

Impact of new agricultural market policies

The leaders condemned the central government’s agricultural market policies, arguing that they favour corporate interests at the expense of farmers. They accused the state government of aligning with these decisions through its economic policies. According to the protestors, crops such as chilli, groundnut, pulses, and cotton are suffering from a lack of remunerative prices, forcing farmers to store their produce in warehouses without fair compensation.

Criticism of Chandrababu Naidu’s policies

The protestors also criticized Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for failing to deliver on his electoral promises. They pointed out that he had pledged to provide a support price of Rs 25,000 per quintal for chilli but had later reduced it to Rs 11,000. They demanded that he fulfill his original commitment. They also accused Naidu of reneging on his promise to provide Rs 20,000 under the Annadata Sukhibhav scheme before elections, stating that even Rabi and Kharif crops had gone without relief.

Demands for policy changes

The protestors outlined several demands, including:

Immediate fixing of support prices for all crops.
Waiver of farm loans similar to corporate loan write-offs.
A pension of Rs 10,000 for farmers above 50 years.
Completion of pending irrigation projects in Rayalaseema.
Prevention of privatization of primary cooperative societies.
Rejection of new agricultural market policies and electricity reforms.

Continued agitation for farmers’ rights

The protest leaders vowed to intensify their agitation if their demands were not met. They emphasized their commitment to organizing movements against privatization and advocating for the rights of farmers across the state.

The protest saw participation from several farmer leaders, including Chandrasekhar, Vannareddy, Naidu, Bandi Ramakrishna, VK Krishnadu, Yesu Ratnam, Harikrishna, Veeranarappa, Nagappa, Bhasha, Ramanjaneyulu, Chandrasekhar Reddy, Venkat Ramudu Chandrappa, Venkatesulu, and Vishwam.

The farmers’ protest in Anantapur underscores the growing discontent among the agricultural community over unfulfilled government promises and market policies that fail to safeguard their interests.