Jagan Reddy Targets Government Over Tobacco Prices, Minister Hits Back

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 government. According to him, farmers were suffering losses of nearly Rs 70 per kg.He also referred to the reported suicide of a tobacco farmer, Venkateswara Rao, alleging that the government had failed to respond adequately to his family's plight.Responding to the allegations, Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu challenged Jagan Reddy to an open debate backed by facts and figures.The minister said the NDA government had decided to provide assistance of Rs 10 per kg for around 100 million kg of tobacco, involving an outlay of about Rs 100 crore. He also said the Centre was extending interest-free loans to tobacco growers."Let us decide before the people, with facts and statistics, who stood by farmers during difficult times and who left them to fend for themselves," Atchannaidu said.The latest political exchange comes amid ongoing efforts by the State government and the Tobacco Board to accelerate procurement and improve price realisation for growers. Tobacco farmers have raised concerns over low auction prices, high rejection rates and rising cultivation costs, with cultivators asking for stronger government intervention.