Telangana MAS Forum leaders demand 8000 per quintal cotton

Warangal: The State and Central governments have failed to protect the interests of cotton farmers, alleged Telangana Mass and Social Organisations Forum (T MAS Forum) leaders. A team of T-MAS comprising its steering committee convener John Wesley, members Prof K Ilaiah, T Veerabhadram (CPM state secretary), Rythu Sangham leader P Ramesh, CPM district secretary S Vasudeva Reddy, BC JAC leader Tirunahari Sheshu, AIDWA leader Asha Latha and others visited Enumamula agriculture market on Monday.

The leaders interacted with the cotton farmers and learnt about the prices being offered to them.
Speaking to presspersons, Prof Ilaiah and Veerabhadram alleged that the traders and middlemen were exploiting cotton farmers offering lower prices on the pretext of poor quality of the produce. They wanted cotton purchased at a price of Rs 8,000 per quintal.

The leaders of different political parties were colluded with the traders and were silent on the crisis prevailing in cotton farming. The district officials and the market committee chairman K Dharma Raju were also acting in a negligent attitude in ensuring a profitable price to cotton, they criticised.

On the other hand, the banks were also not offering loans to the farmers. The BJP government at the Centre must ensure distribution of loans to farmers in a proper manner. The State and Central governments must take urgent steps to stop cotton farmers’ suicides, the leaders demanded. The T-MAS teams have been visiting agriculture markets at different places in the State to study the prevailing situation. The forum would intensify its agitations in support of cotton farmers, Prof Ilaiah warned.