Date:15/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/15/stories/2006081506250300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

Kharif failure: CPI (M) seeks relief for farmers

Staff Reporter

Sowing not done in more than 60 p.c. land due to scanty rainfall

Sparsely germinated seed, dusty fields and withering crops a common sight

The situation could lead to suicides of farmers once again, says CPI(M)

PATIENT HEARING: CPI (M) legislator M.A. Gaffoor interacting with a farmer near Chedulla village in Anantapur district on Monday.

ANANTAPUR: Leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday urged the Government to help farmers in Anantapur district who were facing hardships due to adverse weather conditions during kharif

A delegation led by Kurnool legislator M.A. Gaffoor and party district secretary G. Obulakonda Reddy inspected the fields and interacted with farmers in Bukkaraya Samudram mandal to study the situation. Sowing had not been taken up in more than 60 per cent of land due to scanty rainfall.

The team came across sparsely germinated seed, dusty fields due to lack of soil moisture and withering crops. "We have sown groundnut seed in insufficient moisture hoping for rain. But, nature appears to have deceived us once again. The seed have not germinated and in some cases the crop growth is stunted due to lack of moisture," Chenna Reddy, a farmer of Chedulla village, said. Mr. Gaffoor wanted the Government to extend help immediately. The situation demanded writing off all crop loan, announcement of a special package for the district and immediate disbursement of input subsidy to all farmers, who did not get crop insurance benefit for the last year kharif loss, irrespective of their land holding, he said. Even farmers having more than 10 acres land in the district were in utter poverty due to frequent crop failure, he said. "We borrowed money from bank and the hopes of even getting back the investment are evaporating fast with ever-extending dry spell for over a month now," Obulamma, a woman farmer, said.

The Government should give fresh crop loans for cultivation of alternative crops along with seed and other inputs, Mr. Gaffoor suggested. Cloud seeding operations too should be launched to infuse confidence among the farmers, he opined. He feared that situation could lead to suicides of farmers once again, if they were not helped in time.

District president of Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Karmika Sangham Peddi Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham leader Hanumantharayudu and others were present.