HYDERABAD: The Telangana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Commission has urged the state government to provide agricultural equipment at subsidised rates. They stated that the rising cost of these instruments is driving up crop production expenses, leading to major losses for farmers.
During a recent visit to Nizamabad district, where turmeric is one of the major crops, farmers brought to the Commission’s attention that the turmeric crop was not yielding good dividends.
Commission members noted that farmers were forced to follow conventional methods to harvest and boil turmeric due to a lack of machines. They also pointed out that the inadequate availability of equipment was affecting the quality of the crop and observed that the shortage of agricultural labourers was further worsening the farmers’ situation.
Praise for the Union government
Congress MLC T Jeevan Reddy and Telangana Cooperative Union Limited chairman S Anvesh Reddy, at a press conference in Gandhi Bhavan, praised the Union government for the setting up of the National Turmeric Board in Nizamabad. Jeevan Reddy said this was possible due to the farmers’ struggle for over two decades.
He noted that the Congress government, immediately after being elected, requested the Centre for such a board and its commitment to support its establishment.
However, he claimed that the BJP-led Union government excluded the state government from the launch programme and treated the event as a party affair.