KADAPA: From holding a five-acre-agriculture-land to being a man standing forefront of more than 650 farmers, this 60-year-old farmer has been reaping rich dividends through mango orchards at Talupula village in Pileru mandal of Annamayya district.
Meet Munchinthala Jayabbanaidu, the man behind the success of Annamayya Mutually Aided Cooperative Society, which he established for the prosperity and development of fellow farmers in his village. The farmers through society sell about Rs 4.5 crore worth of mango produce cultivated in their orchards in a year and now aiming to enter their mango sales into double-digits this year.
Recognising the significant contributions made by his cooperative society to the betterment of farmers, the State Government has conferred the YSR Lifetime Achievement Award to Jayabbanaidu, which he received from AP Governor Biswabushan Harichandan and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on November 1.
Hailing from Talupula village in Pileru Mandal of Annamayya district, Jayabbanaidu has two sons, one working as a lecturer at Madanapalle BT College, while other working as CEO of the Farmer’s Co-operative Society.
Understanding the importance of collective efforts and based on the suggestions given by the horticulture officials, Jayabbanaidu along with 15 other farmers started the society in 2017, to bring all the farmers under one roof and reaping their efforts efficiently.
About 250 farmers enrolled paying Rs 100 entry fees and pooled Rs 5 lakh share capital, wherein each farmer contributed Rs 2,000 while additional loan assistance of Rs 5 lakh has been provided to the farmers by the government.
The profits generated through the share capital are equally distributed among the farmers and these farmers sell their produce without the involvement of any middlemen to Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra states.
Horticulture commissioner Chiranjeevi Chowdary, after witnessing the farmers who are selling their produce under trees, explained about the government schemes and how to avail its benefits. Following this, the horticulture officials convened a meeting with the farmers where they urged the authorities to set up mango collection and refining centres and provide weighing machines.
Authorities set up two collection centres with 75 per cent government subsidy and a refining centre with 40 tonnes of fruit capacity and 60 tonnes capacity of weighing machine in their village in 2018. As a result, the farmers who once used to sell their produce under trees are now doing their sales through the collection centres.
The Annamayya Mutual Aided Co-operative Society, which started with just 15 farmers today has more than 650 farmers from 13 panchayats in Pileru, Rompicherla, Yerravaripalem, and KV Palle Mandals as its members.
Anticipating a bountiful fruit yield of 90 per cent, the society which does fruit sales between Rs 4.5 to Rs 5 crore, is now planning to do Rs 10 crore sales this year. Also, the society procures Rs 75 lakh worth of fertilisers at a 90 per cent subsidy from the government every year.
Jayabbanaidu said he will work with more responsibility to take forward his society with more and attributed his fellow farmers’ support in receiving the award. Jaybbanaidu also received the Best Farmer Award from retired Supreme Court Judge Chalameswara Rao in 2014.
PROFITS SHARED AMONG FARMERS
About 250 farmers enrolled by paying Rs 100 entry fee and pooled Rs 5 lakh share capital, wherein each farmer contributed Rs 2,000 while additional loan assistance of Rs 5 lakh has been provided to the farmers by the government. The profits generated are equally distributed among the farmers