Govt assures relief to chilli farmers

Vijayawada: The state government has assured chilli farmers that both the Centre and State will intervene to prevent losses.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held discussions with exporters, traders, commission agents, and farmers on Saturday. He emphasised his commitment to protecting farmers, highlighting the letters sent to the Centre in December 2024 and February 2025. He also discussed the issue with Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, securing the Centre’s agreement on the state’s proposals. Farmers expressed concerns over rising input costs, declining yields due to diseases, and labour shortages. They reported spending ₹3–3.5 lakh per acre, only to face arbitrary price reductions at the mirchi yards. Traders cited quality issues, leaving farmers unable to recover costs.

Additionally, difficulties in securing trucks to transport produce and limited cold storage space worsened the crisis. Farmers urged the government to reintroduce bonuses, as done under the previous TDP regime, and permit chilli exports from the Krishnapatnam port.

Guntur chilli, usually exported to China, Colombo, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, saw a slump in demand this year. Excess chemical use—necessitated by floods in September–November—lowered quality, while storage constraints added pressure. Of 410 exporters, only 250 managed to export, and export orders have dropped significantly. Farmers also requested improved infrastructure at the Guntur spices park. Naidu directed officials to regulate trucking charges and promised discussions with banks to facilitate loans. He assured farmers that if market rates fall below ₹11,781 per quintal, the Centre and State will step in with a 50:50 market intervention plan.