Kirla, Vizianagaram district: It pleased me no end to see mango trees lining the streets on either side of the road, wherever I went today. However, that happiness soon evaporated when I learnt of the troubles of mango farmers of RP Puram. This region supplies mangoes to all metropolises and important cities in the country. Sadly, the condition of farmers here is extremely pathetic.

The farmers toil for months in difficult conditions and end up as hostages to the greed of middlemen. Without deciding on the price, these brokers and middlemen procure the produce. They then take their time to pay and the poor farmers have no option but to settle for whatever meagre amount is given to them.

Farmers are a dejected lot because their hard work is exploited all the time by these greedy middle men. The businessman are a part of a large syndicate which exploit the poor farmer. What is worse is that the government which should support the farmer, is backing the middleman in this entire exercise. How can the farmer prosper in such a difficult situation?

Bheemili is renowned the world over for the mango jelly (maamidi taandra) it produces. The producers of this maamidi taandra or mango jelly, explained their difficulties to me today. More than 400 families depend for their livelihood on this enterprise. Without any support from this government and denied a proper price, this cottage industry is reeling under a major crisis, they said. Cold storage facilities are not available for them to wait for better times and a better price. They expressed their anguish saying they are forced, therefore, to sell their produce at a lower price. It saddened me deeply to hear of their plight.

It is important for the government to recognise and encourage the significance of such cottage industries which are dependent on the existing system for their survival. Only then, can they do better and the farmer, prosper. When agriculture is in such dire straits, what can one say about leaders who brag about it and claim it is making major strides?

The very man responsible for pushing agriculture into a state of turmoil goes to the US and makes tall claims about progress in agriculture! What can be more absurd? Atchannaidu of Bhimali took a bank loan of Rs. 30,000 before the elections. Believing Chandrababu Naidu‘s promise of loan waiver, he hoped that his loan would be waived. Leave alone a waiver, the amount to be paid has now gone up. All farmers of this area have the same story to tell.

I have a question for the chief minister—isn’t it true that of the 29 states in the country, Andhra Pradesh stands at bottom in the 28th spot, when it comes to monthly earnings of the farmer? When this is the reality at the ground level, isn’t it deception to deny this and to claim in international forums that AP is ahead of other states?

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