ADILABAD: Frustration of farmers in Nirmal district — built up after spending nights beside heaps of grain under tin sheds and in open procurement centres — spilled onto the highways on Monday.
At Nachanyellapur village, farmers blocked the Nirmal–Mancherial highway alleging that the government was delaying procurement, leaving them with mounting losses and no clarity on when their grain would be shifted. Amid the protest and scorching afternoon heat, local farmer Akula Narsaiah collapsed unconscious on the road. Fellow farmers rushed him to a nearby hospital, where his condition was said to be stable.
Narsaiah’s health scare symbolises the growing desperation among farmers who say they have been guarding their produce day and night for nearly two weeks. At one procurement centre alone, around 5,000 bags of grain are yet to be transported even 15 days after weighing, while another 7,000 bags are still awaiting weighing.
As tensions rose, Kadam revenue inspector Sharada and police personnel reached the spot to pacify the protesters. In an emotional moment, one farmer fell at the officer’s feet, pleading with her to immediately arrange transportation for the grain before it was damaged further. The blockade was lifted only after officials assured farmers that the issue would be taken up with higher authorities.
Similar scenes were witnessed at Basara on the Bhainsa–Nizamabad highway, where maize farmers alleged that produce brought to the procurement centre three days ago still remained unweighed.
Several farmers said they were desperate enough to sell maize to private traders for around Rs 1,800 per quintal against the Minimum Support Price of Rs 2,400, a loss of Rs 600 per quintal. Even those waiting for government procurement said they were spending extra money on gunny bags and transportation, losing another Rs 100 to Rs 200 per quintal.
Markfed district manager Mahesh Kumar told TNIE that 1.4 lakh tonnes of maize had already been procured and the remaining 10,000 tonnes would be cleared by May 31. Jowar procurement, he said, was expected to conclude in the first week of June.
Claiming that adequate gunny bags and vehicles were available across 40 identified godowns, Kumar attributed the delays mainly to an acute labour shortage. While the department requires around 1,600 labourers, workers brought from Maharashtra reportedly left within a day, unable to cope with the heat, he said.
