Paddy cultivation declines due to spurt in production cost

Guntur/Narasaraopet: Paddy cultivation area has been decreasing in Guntur and Nagarjuna Sagar right canal ayacut area of Palnadu districts due to increase in the cost of production and lack of support price to farmers. As a result, paddy cultivation area has considerably declined.

Out of 1.8 lakh acres in Guntur district, the farmers this year cultivated in 1.32 lakh acres.

According to official sources, out of 1.38 lakh acres in Palnadu district, paddy was cultivated in 90,000 acres during Rabi season.

Price hike of fertilisers, pesticides, labour cost and diesel prices are main reason for increasing cost of production has spiked the cost of cultivation, which is one of the reasons for the decline in cultivation area. Farmers feel that the minimum support price (MSP) is not proportionate to the cost of production.

A farmer T Venkateswara Rao of Piduguralla said, "At least Rs 30,000 is required to cultivate paddy in one acre.

I will get 30 bags paddy per acre. I will get Rs 40,000 income per acre, if the government purchases paddy at Rs 2,500 per bag, which would be viable." He added that farmers, who suffered loss, now shifted to maize, black gram, green gram, sweet corn and other crops.

Another farmer P Subba Rao said that farm workers are demanding Rs 700 to Rs 800 per day. Fertiliser prices have, of late, increased by more than 60 per cent, pesticide prices were doubled within a short period. 'Tenant farmers have to pay Rs 30,000 per acre to the landowner. Due to falling of prices during the last season, farmers sold paddy for a rate between Rs 1,050 and Rs 1,100 per bag and incurred heavy losses due to lack of remunerative prices.

The farmers naturally suffered loss and shifted to other crops,' he lamented.

AP Rythu Sangam district secretary K Ajay Kumar demanded the government for the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations to provide MSP to farmers. He demanded the Central government to set up price stabilisation fund and keep up its election promise.