Khammam: Thousands of farmers feel let down by government

Khammam: "We are incurring huge losses due to hazy policies of the government on paddy cultivation. It earlier announced no paddy cultivation in Yasangi season, but it overturned its decision and claiming to procure entire paddy produce in Yasangi.

Those (nearly 50% of farmers) who have not sown paddy are suffering great losses. We feel totally cheated due to flip-flop by the government," says a farmer K Rama Rao in Kalluru mandal. Around 2,26,532 acres are covered under paddy in every year during yasangi season in Khammam.

The large number of farmers who desisted from going in for paddy are at a loss now. This time around, paddy is grown in 1,05,507 lakh acres in the district, as per Minister for Transport Puvvada Ajay Kumar. Many areas such as Sathupalli mandal went by government advisory and did not cultivate paddy. Kalluru mandal farmers cultivated 6,427 acres as against 33,247 acres, followed by Tallada farmers (4,766 acres as against 20,202 acres), Penballi mandal farmers (2,989 acres as against 17,999 acres), Vemsoor farmers (3,980 acres against as 10,795 acres), and Wyra mandal farmers (1,540 acres as against 18,064 acres).

The farmers who did not sow the paddy are sore that the government retracted its decision and set up several paddy procurement centres to buy paddy at MSP, said a farmer M Basavaiah, saying the farmers would normally reap a huge harvest in yasangi. Those farmers who went against the farmers were being benefited by the government largesse, he expressed anguish. Harvesting of paddy has started in Palair, Sathupalli, Kusumanchi, Kallur, Nelkondapalli, Tallada, Vemsoor and other mandals. Their prospects of getting MSP are causing heartburn among the farmers who shunned paddy, in deference to the government wishes.