The Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham has urged the State government to immediately extend support to banana and maize farmers who are facing distress due to the lack of remunerative prices and market facilities for their produce.
In a statement on Wednesday, Sangham State president V. Krishnaiah and general secretary K. Prabhakar Reddy said banana farmers in Anantapur district were being forced to destroy their crops as they were unable to secure the minimum prices for their produce. The government must ensure market facilities and a support price of ₹15,000 per tonne through Markfed to prevent further losses of farmers, they said.
Maize growers in Nandyal, Sri Sathya Sai, Kurnool and Anantapur districts were not receiving the government-declared Minimum Support Price (MSP), they claimed and demanded that the government open procurement centres immediately and purchase maize through Markfed at the MSP of ₹2,400 per quintal.
They criticised Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, saying his declaration that Rayalaseema would be developed into a ‘fruit basket’ had turned into a ‘fruit dustbin’ due to the lack of government intervention during this crisis situation.
Urging the government to support the tenant farmers, they said that the investment assistance of ₹20,000 per year being provided to farmers should also be extended to those cultivating on lease.
They reminded the government that the TDP had promised full support to tenant farmers before the elections, including implementation of a tenancy law. “The government must ensure support for tenant farmers under the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme and ensure they get the assistance of ₹20,000,” they said.
Published – November 19, 2025 06:55 pm IST
