VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the issue of slump in the prices of chillies was taken to the notice of the Centre, and urged to extend the necessary aid to farmers of the State.
“Chilli prices slumped like never before. Farmers got good price in the past because of the demand in the international market. However, due to the reduction in demand in the international market, there is a slump in the chilli prices now,” Naidu said.
Speaking to media persons in New Delhi, Naidu said he had taken the matter to the notice of the Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan through a video conference as he was on a tour. Chouhan will look into the matter on Friday. “We have requested the Centre to intervene in the matter and support farmers. Under the Market Intervention Scheme, only 25% is provided. However, the price determination should consider the cost of cultivation. We have urged the Union Minister to look into these issues,” Naidu said.
The Chief Minister met Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, at Krishi Bhavan on Thursday evening, and discussed the problems of chilli farmers.
Binod Giri, Deputy Commissioner (MPS), has issued a meeting notice to discuss the AP government’s plea for market intervention to protect chilli farmers’ interests. A meeting has been convened under the chairmanship of the Union Agriculture Minister at 11 am in New Delhi on Friday to discuss the fixation of Market Intervention Price (MIP) for red chillies, and steps to be taken to promote chilli exports from AP.
Naidu seeks Central aid to complete Polavaram-Banakacherla link project
“Our primary objective is to support farmers in every possible manner. On Saturday, we will meet traders and market committee representatives to understand the reasons behind the price slump. We have already written three letters to the Centre. Additionally, AP officials have been in discussions with Central authorities. We have come to Delhi with the sole intention of protecting the interests of chilli farmers, and we will take all necessary steps to ensure that farmers do not suffer losses,” he asserted.
Naidu, who went to the national capital, to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, had a busy day.
Prior to the swearing-in ceremony, Naidu along, with Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, met Union Minister for Jal Shakti CR Patil, and requested him to reimburse the expenditure incurred on constructing Polavaram Left and Right canals, besides extending all support to complete the project on a war footing.
He also sought the Central support for the Polavaram-Banakacherla link project, which aims to transfer 200 TMC of floodwater from Godavari river at Polavaram to Banakacherla through a link canal.
“The Polavaram project works are progressing smoothly, and our target is to complete the project by 2027. We also discussed river interlinking. If we utilise the water that is currently going waste into the sea, Andhra Pradesh can become drought-free. We have sought Central assistance to divert Polavaram water to Banakacherla. A Central team will visit the State soon to study the feasibility of the project,” Naidu said.
Regarding the Jal Jeevan Mission, Naidu said, “The aim is to provide tap water to every household. However, the previous YSRCP regime failed to utilise even 1% of the scheme. The Centre allocated Rs 27,000 crore to AP, yet instead of laying water pipelines, they proposed borewells. States like Uttar Pradesh have effectively utilised Rs 50,000 crore under the scheme, and Gujarat has ensured continuous water supply to every house. The Centre has extended the project deadline to 2028. However, based on past allocation, AP will only receive Rs 27,000 crore. To supply tap water across all regions, an additional Rs 54,000 crore will be required. We will continue discussions regarding the matter. A Detailed Project Report for Rs 27,000 crore is being prepared, and we will seek Central funding for it.”