VIJAYAWADA: Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu has criticised YSRCP leaders for their recent remarks on farmers, calling them “hypocritical” and “deceptive.” He alleged that during YSRCP’s five-year rule, cultivators were left in debt and despair, with shortages of seeds and fertilisers and no assurance of fair prices.
Atchannaidu said the much-publicised Rythu Bharosa scheme failed to provide genuine support, while mango and horticulture farmers suffered due to poor marketing facilities and reduced exports.
Maize growers, he added, were hit hard as the Minimum Support Price (MSP) was not implemented effectively, leaving them vulnerable to middlemen.
He accused the previous government of ignoring farmer protests and focusing only on political propaganda.
“Those who rendered the Agriculture Department ineffective are now preaching lessons, which is ironic,” he remarked.
The Minister stated that the coalition government is taking corrective measures, including strengthening procurement centres, stabilising prices for mango growers, and ensuring MSP enforcement for maize farmers.
He emphasised that farmer welfare remains the government’s highest priority and urged YSRCP leaders to stop “cheap criticism” if they truly care about cultivators.