ELURU: Cocoa farmers staged a protest outside the Eluru Collectorate on Wednesday under the banner of the Andhra Pradesh Cocoa Farmers Association, urging the government to announce a price policy, formula and mechanism for cocoa beans similar to oil palm.
Carrying cocoa pods, farmers raised slogans against companies and the government before marching to the District Horticulture Officer’s office to submit their demands.
Association president Bollu Ramakrishna presided over the protest, while general secretary K Srinivas alleged companies were slashing cocoa prices citing global fluctuations.
He pointed out that although international prices touched Rs 1,040 per kg in 2024, local farmers received only Rs 750. Prices fell from Rs 400 in January to Rs 300, causing heavy losses. Srinivas urged the government to introduce an oil palm-like price formula to protect growers.
Association vice presidents Bolla Venkata Subbarao, Uppala Kashi and Panuganti Achyutaramaiah, along with leaders Rudraraju Subbarao, Devarapalli Satyanarayana, Morampudi Subramaniam, Katta Bhaskara Rao of AP Rythu Sangam and Munnangi Subbareddy of the Regional Coconut Farmers Association, also addressed the gathering.
The leaders demanded a minimum support price of Rs 500 per kg, a ban on imports of foreign cocoa beans and products, and government procurement of local produce. They criticised the lack of representation for cocoa farmers in the State Price Policy Committee and sought inclusion from all cocoa-growing districts.
Farmers also pressed for the establishment of a Cocoa Board and a Central CPCRI Cocoa Research Centre in Andhra Pradesh, stressing that immediate government intervention was essential to safeguard livelihoods and stabilise the sector.