MLC slams govt for not providing MSP to chilli farmers

Reddy criticised the government for not releasing funds for the same and accused it of working for the interests of middlemen by seeking trader details two months after sales began. He said the Chandrababu-led government has released a mere Rs 300 crore under Price Stabilization Fund, which is one tenth of the Rs 3,000 crore released during the YSRC regime, calling it a sheer neglect of farmers. Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s visit to the Guntur chilli yard had prompted the government’s limited response, which included review meetings and a letter to the Centre, but no concrete relief, he said and slammed the government for politicising farmers’ issues despite passing a Legislative Council motion for their welfare.

MLC Reddy emphasised Guntur’s significance, with its Rs 10,000 crore annual chilli trade and 150 cold storage units holding 1.3 crore bags, making the government’s apathy deplorable. He accused Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of being indifferent as such neglect by the government would affect farmers’ livelihood and the state’s agricultural legacy.