Expressing concern over prevailing crisis in the agricultural sector and prevailing farm suicides, former combined state agriculture minister and AP Convenor of the Farmers’ Union Coordination Committee Vadde Sobhanadeswara Rao asked both the state and central governments that why MS Swaminathan Commission reports are not been implemented.
He recalled that the MS Swaminathan Commission, headed by pioneer of Green Revolution Prof Swaminathan, had made several suggestions to prevent the crisis in the agricultural sector and to curb farmer suicides. He recalled that both the BJP and TDP had promised to implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission during the 2014 elections.
However, Vadde Shobhanadreeswara Rao deplored that after the Narendra Modi government came to power, it filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission could not be implemented. He criticized the coalition government in AP for also being negligent towards farmers.
He questioned why they are not thinking about justice for farmers instead of just wanting industries and investments to come. He explained that 60 percent of the people depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Vadde said that it is not right to ignore such farmers and create wealth.
Vadde Shobhanadrishwa Rao said that the governments in the neighboring states have been buying various types of crops by giving bonuses on MSP. However, he deplored that there are no records of MSP received for those crops in AP either. He revealed that 50 percent of tenant farmers are engaged in agriculture in AP, but hardly getting government’s support. prices decided by the buyers based on the needs of the
The former agriculture minister said that they have to sell at the prices decided by the buyers based on the needs of the tenants. He said that there is no situation to buy some crops in AP, and tobacco crops are not being bought. Vadde said that they are not against promoting industries, but it is not right to give them as much land as they want.