VIJAYAWADA : Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu once again assured Chilli farmers in the state to protect their interests and called upon Chilli traders and exporters to cooperate with the government in this regard.
During a meeting with representatives of Chilli farmers, trades, exporters, and commission agents besides officials of agriculture and marketing departments on Saturday, which lasted two and half hours, the Chief Minister informed them that understanding the plight of the Chilli farmers and bail them out of their predicament, wrote letters to Centre on December 26 last year and again on February 5 and 11 of February, this year.
He said in case the price for a quintal of chili is less than Rs 11,781, the Centre will procure the crop through the Market Intervention Scheme with the State and Centre bearing the cost equally.
However, farmers expressed their reservations over the same, pointing out that Chilli farmers from other states might take advantage and move their produce to sell in the state, thus putting farmers of the state at a disadvantage.
Taking their opinion into consideration, the Chief Minister said he would discuss the same with the centre and take a final call.
Farmers urged the Chief Minister to consider revisiting the bonus scheme for chili farmers as he did during his previous tenure. At that time, the government had announced a certain amount as a bonus for the quintal of chili, benefiting the farmers.
The Chief Minister reminded the farmers that in 2017, when a similar situation occurred, his government provided Rs 1,500 per quintal and spent Rs 135 crore. Now also every effort will be taken to protect their interests, he assured. He also assured them to consider assistance to those farmers, who have registered through e-Crop and based on crop sales records with Mirchi Yard. He made it clear that every rupee spent on farmers should benefit them only and not the middlemen or others.
Also, steps will be initiated to sanction loans to farmers who store their chili stocks in cold storage plants, Naidu assured.
When the farmers made a complaint against the truck operators at the Guntur Mirchi Yard for charging excess amounts, the Chief Minister immediately ordered an inquiry and necessary action against the truck operators.
Since the mango and chili crops are more in the State, discussions will soon be held with the Centre on setting up a board, Naidu said.