Despite warnings from Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and extensive coverage in newspapers about farmers being deceived in agricultural markets, the situation remains unchanged.
Farmers in Janagaon market, for instance, are still not receiving the Minmium Support Price (MSP) for paddy, leading to agitation among them. Contrary to the state government assurances, traders are only offering a fraction of the support price, causing frustration among farmers. As against a MSP of Rs. 2,200 per quintal, farmers are only receiving around Rs. 1600.
Despite the presence of officials from various departments, including marketing and revenue, at least 50 in number, the market situation hasn’t improved. This has led to scenes of protest, with farmers even resorting to burning their produce in the yard. The accumulation of over 40 thousand bags of paddy in the market reflects the severity of the issue.
Although government purchase centers have been established, the purchasing capacity is insufficient, leading to further distress among farmers. The inability to sell their produce at the MSP has forced some farmers to consider selling at lower rates to avoid spoilage.