Seed Cotton Farmers in Gadwal Face Exploitation, Demand Justice
Farmers in Jogulamba Gadwal are calling for urgent action against the growing exploitation by organizers in the district. The Nadigadda Rights Struggle Committee (NRSC) has highlighted the struggles of over 40,000 seed cotton farmers and submitted a memorandum to District Collector BM Santosh, seeking solutions to their pressing issues.
The NRSC has demanded the establishment of a tripartite agreement between companies, organizers, and farmers to ensure fair practices. According to the committee, seed companies distribute foundation seeds through organizers instead of directly providing them to farmers, allowing organizers to act as intermediaries and exploit farmers in various ways.
Farmers are reportedly being subjected to unfair practices such as high-interest rates on loans, manipulation of weight measurements, and receiving lower prices for their produce. Additionally, despite companies releasing payments within three months after receiving seed cotton, organizers are delaying payments to farmers.
The issue of falsified seed quality tests, or GOT (Genetic Output Test) results, was also raised. Organizers are allegedly tampering with test results to cheat farmers out of their rightful earnings. This has created significant financial and emotional distress for the farming community.
To address these problems, the NRSC has proposed several measures. They called for seed testing to be conducted using earlier practices, where seed cotton samples are stored in warehouses until results are declared. The committee also demanded that payments to farmers be made by April, and that seed cotton weighing be conducted in the presence of farmers, with rates displayed publicly to ensure transparency.
Another key demand is the revision of seed packet prices to ensure fair compensation for farmers. NRSC district chairman Gongalla Ranjith Kumar pressed for an immediate meeting involving company representatives, organizers, and farmers to resolve these issues and establish fair practices.
NHPS district convener Bucchibabu and other members of the NRSC participated in the program. They emphasized that these issues reflect a larger systemic problem in agriculture, where middlemen often exploit farmers’ vulnerabilities. Addressing these concerns, the memorandum noted, requires strong political will, consistent enforcement of laws, and collective efforts from all stakeholders.
The NRSC’s appeal underscores the urgent need to protect farmers’ rights and ensure justice for those who are the backbone of the agricultural economy.
