Date:15/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/15/stories/2008021561650700.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Don’t sell produce in haste: Kadiam

Staff Reporter

Sangareddy: Telugu Desam Party general secretary Kadiam Srihari has asked the farmers in the State not to sell their produce in haste, looking at the possibility of Union government announcing enhanced minimum support prices for paddy, cotton, sugarcane and corn.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Srihari said that he had credible information that the Union government has agreed in principle to accept the recommendations of Swaminathan Commission for agricultural costs and prices. Describing it as a victory for TDP, Srihari said that the pressure exerted by party president Nara Chandrababu Naidu at national level has yielded good results. However, he said that if the government failed to implement the recommended prices the party would launch a much larger agitation. He announced that party president N. Chandrababu Naidu would participate in a dharna in front of the Collector’s office here on February 17 demanding hike in sugarcane price to Rs. 1,500 per tonne. The party is expecting a turnout of 50,000 farmers for the dharna.