Jagan Reddy Targets Government Over Tobacco Prices, Minister Hits Back
The YSRCP and the ruling NDA government in Andhra Pradesh are clashing over the economic distress of tobacco farmers. While the opposition alleges government negligence and cartelization, the Agriculture Minister claims the state is providing financial support and loans to assist growers.
Why it matters
The dispute reflects the broader political tension surrounding agricultural policy and the economic stability of farmers in India's agrarian economy.
The opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the ruling NDA government in Andhra Pradesh traded charged on Thursday over the alleged distress faced by tobacco farmers in the state. On Wednesday, former Chief Minister and YSRCP chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, accompanied by hundreds of supporters, visited tobacco farmers in Devarapalli and accused the N Chandrababu Naidu government of failing to protect their interests.He demanded that the state-run Markfed be brought into tobacco procurement immediately, alleging that farmers were being forced into distress sales amid falling prices and rising cultivation costs.He alleged that traders had formed a cartel to keep prices low and claimed that the Tobacco Board had failed to ensure adequate procurement for growers.Jagan Reddy further claimed that farmers were receiving as little as Rs 170 per kg for their produce with an average tobacco price of around Rs 289 per kg during the 2023-24 season under the YSRCP…
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