Harish Rao Demands Procurement Centres for Sunflower Farmers
Hyderabad: BRS leader T Harish Rao has criticized the Telangana government for not opening procurement centres for sunflower farmers. He said that because of this, farmers are being forced to sell their produce to middlemen at lower prices.
In an open letter to the Chief Minister, Harish Rao pointed out that farmers are selling their produce at Rs 5,500 to Rs 6,000 per quintal, which is much lower than the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 7,280 announced by NAFED. He claimed that due to the government’s inaction, farmers are losing Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per quintal.
Harish Rao reminded the Chief Minister that under the previous BRS government, oilseed cultivation was encouraged through financial support under the Rythu Bandhu scheme, subsidies, and irrigation facilities. These measures led to large-scale sunflower farming in the state. However, he said that now, even though the crops are ready for harvest, the government has not opened a single procurement centre. This, he said, has left farmers with no choice but to sell at distress prices.
He also said that under the BRS government, sunflower seeds were procured at MSP through NAFED, ensuring financial security for farmers. He criticized the Congress government for failing to act even after NAFED announced an MSP of Rs 7,280 per quintal. He accused the government of ignoring the struggles of farmers and allowing them to suffer losses.
Harish Rao questioned how a government that claims to support farmers could allow such exploitation. He demanded immediate action to open procurement centres and help farmers get fair prices for their produce.
