In Gadwal, a large group of seed cotton farmers, led by NHPS District Chairman Gongalla Ranjith Kumar, approached State Agriculture and Farmers Commission Chairman Kodanda Reddy. They submitted a petition seeking urgent action against seed companies and their middlemen for exploiting farmers.
The petition, organized by Nadigadda Hakkula Porata Samithi (NHPS), revealed issues affecting over 40,000 farmers working on more than 30,000 acres in Jogulamba Gadwal district, a key seed production area in Telangana.
Ranjith Kumar explained that over 20 seed companies use middlemen instead of dealing directly with farmers. These middlemen allegedly exploit farmers by manipulating payments and using coercive tactics.
Farmers face payment delays of up to 16 months and have excessive interest deducted on advances. They are forced to sell through organizers, who deduct:
– Extra commissions
– Charges for alleged damage
– Interest on advances
– GOT (Grow Out Test) charges
While the Grow Out Test should take a couple of months, payments are delayed indefinitely, and more interest is deducted without clarity. Some farmers wait over a year to receive payments.
More alarmingly, the petition mentioned land grabbing by organizers, who allegedly pressured farmers into transferring land titles during financial hardships.
The NHPS and farmers demanded:
– Strict actions against involved companies and middlemen
– Transparent dealings directly between companies and farmers
– Timely payments after harvest and GOT
– Fair regulation of interest and commissions
– Investigation into land grabbing and restoration of land rights
The petition saw support from many farmer leaders and NHPS officials, including:
– District Convener Buchibabu
– District Secretary Lavanna
– Local leaders like Rangaswamy, Govindu, Vishnu, and others
Hundreds of farmers gathered to back the petition, showing rising discontent and urging the state government to protect seed cotton farmers’ livelihoods in Gadwal.
