Govt launches procurement through MARKFED

Parchur: Minister for agriculture Kinjarapu Atchannaidu assured farmers that the state government will purchase Black Burley tobacco crops until the last leaf, urging them not to fear or be deceived. The minister, along with local MLA Yeluri Sambasiva Rao, inaugurated the Black Burley tobacco procurement centre by MARKFED at the Agricultural Market Yard in Parchur on Thursday.

The programme marks the first time in state history that the government is directly procuring the Black Burley tobacco. The government will purchase HDR and HDM grade black burley tobacco at Rs 12000 per quintal, and HDX grade at Rs 6000 per quintal through MARKFED. Minister Achennaidu appreciated the efforts of MLA Yeluri Sambasiva Rao for bringing the plight of the Black Burley tobacco farmers to the government’s notice. He explained that the government stepped in as companies that initially pressured farmers to cultivate black burley tobacco abandoned them when the harvest arrived. He announced that the state has established five procurement centres across the region and expects to provide approximately Rs 500 crore in cash to the tobacco farmers. The government plans to procure 20 million kilograms of Black Burley tobacco, with funds already approved by Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu. Atchannaidu emphasised that farmers should focus on alternative crops in the upcoming Kharif season to avoid a similar crisis, and said that the state may not purchase the leaf next year.

MLA Yeluri Sambasiva Rao described this as a courageous decision by the coalition government aimed at protecting farmers. He noted that tobacco cultivation is predominantly practiced by farmers in the Parchur constituency, and the government has provided them with mountain-like support. He advised farmers to cultivate crops according to government decisions and move forward with government planning. He said that the government plans to develop new policies based on market demand, land suitability, and climatic balance to determine appropriate crop cultivation.

Agriculture Department Special Chief Secretary B Rajasekhar noted that the Chief Minister reviews the farmers’ crisis every two days, demonstrating the government’s commitment to agricultural welfare. District Collector J Venkata Murali said that the procurement process will be conducted entirely online, with farmers receiving SMS notifications about when and how much produce to bring to the warehouses.