Chittoor, July 9 (IANS) YSRCP president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday asked the TDP government to buy the entire mango produce from farmers at Rs 12 per kg.

Addressing the media at Bangarupalem Market Yard in Chittoor district, Jagan, the former chief minister, slammed the TDP government for “repressive” measures to foil his visit, and reiterated that he would continue to question the government on behalf of the people.

He said that over 76,000 farmers, who cultivated mango in 2.20 lakh acres, are in distress as they are not getting MSP for their yield of 6.45 lakh tonnes.

Claiming that mango farmers got Rs 29 per kg during YSRCP rule, he said farmers were now selling their crop in distress at Rs 2 per kg. He demanded that the government buy the entire produce by paying Rs 12 per kg.

He alleged that in just one year, the prices dipped after the coalition government came to office.

Delay in procurement of mango has resulted in mounting of produce and drastic fall in price, which shows the Naidu government’s “inefficiency”, he said.

“The sorry state of affairs is that nowhere in the country farmers were selling their crop in distress at Rs 2 per kg, and the other day Karnataka could convince the Centre to buy its mango at Rs 16 per kg. When Karnataka could get the assurance from the Centre, what is Chandrababu Naidu doing and why could he not persuade the Centre and get a better price for the farmers,” he asked.

The former chief minister slammed the government for “imposing restrictions” during his visit to express solidarity with the farmers.

“What is wrong if farmers come to pour their woes when the situation is so bad. There is no input subsidy and no MSP. Police harassing the farmers, arresting them and detaining over 1,200 farmers speaks of the insensitiveness of the government, and YS Jagan will always be there to question the government on the farmers’ issues, be it mirchi, tobacco, mango or the unfulfilled election promises of Chandrababu Naidu,” he said.

Likening farmers to rowdy elements is uncalled for, and the majority of the population in Chittoor district is dependent on agriculture, Jagan Mohan Reddy added.

–IANS

ms/svn