Explained: Why farmers in Andhra Pradesh have declared ‘crop holiday’

For many of us, the term holiday holds happy connotations. But when cultivators declare a ‘crop holiday’ it usually comes when they are at the end of their wits. Like farmers in Andhra Pradesh’s Godavari Delta have done recently, for example. Let’s take a closer look at why this is happening and the politics over it: As per The Hindu, farmers in the Godaveri Delta have taken this measure due to delay in payment of paddy procured by the government and poor access to irrigation water through the existing canal system. Farmers in the stretch of Allavaram, Katrenikona, Uppalaguptam and I.Polavaram Mandals under the Godavari Delta have declared the ‘crop holiday’ without commencing Kharif operations. As per the report, thousands of acres of land have been left uncultivated as part of the ‘crop holiday’ across the Konaseema district. The farmers have also been left vexed by prxomises made by the state government on the modernization works of canals and drainages for the past two Kharif seasons. As per The Hans India, Konaseema farmers have declared ‘crop holiday’ in view of not getting fair price for their produce and also due to failure of the authorities to desilt the mud accumulated in major and minor drains. Except Ravulapalem, they have declared ‘crop holiday’ in all mandals of Konaseema district. Farmers of all political stripes took the decision. As per the report, farmers took the decision after incurring losses during the previous Rabi and Kharif season after water entered their fields. Farmers complained about the indifferent attitude of the officials, who come and go without providing any solution to their problems. They attributed it to the officials’ failure in tackling their problems. Certain farmers brought the issue to the notice of District Collector Himanshu Shukla, as per the report. “At least a week is required to carry out the desilting of the drainages - Rameswaram and Kunavaram drains - which submerge the paddy fields during the cyclones. The canal system will be cleaned during the desilting drive within a week”, Shukla told The Hindu. Konaseema Rythu Parirakshana Sangam Chairman Yallla Brahmanandam told The Hans India that despite heavy investments they are not getting reasonable moderate price for their produce and the government has woefully failed in tackling their problems. He said though the government promised to provide reasonable minimum support price (MSP) for their produce, it failed to fulfil the promises till now. He said price of each quintal comes to about Rs 2,550 but the government wants to pay only Rs 1,925, which implies a loss of Rs 650 per quintal. Moreover, they have not credited the amount till date. Andhra CM lashes out, TDP responds [caption id=“attachment_8555951” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  File image of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Facebook/Jagan Mohan Reddy[/caption] Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday slammed former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu for ‘instigating farmers’ to go for a crop holiday, as per Hindustan Times. “Unlike the previous government, which failed to credit the amount of paddy procurement to the farmers, the present government was crediting the amount within 21 days of the procurement process, even though the funds from the Centre were being delayed,” Jagan said while making a direct benefit transfer of ₹2,978 crore into the accounts of 1.5 million farmers towards insurance to compensate for the crop loss in Kharif and Rabi seasons in 2021. TDP supremo Naidu, addressing a mini-Mahanadu at Chodavaram, responded by launching a scathing attack on Reddy, as per New Indian Express. Naidu said it was alarming that Jagan’s policies led to ‘crop holiday’ not just in water-rich Konaseema but also in his own Kadapa. “Though Jagan pressed the button, many farmers did not receive insurance money. Instead of pressing ’empty buttons’, Jagan should press real buttons and give the list of farmers’ names on a website for whom aid was released,” Naidu was reported as saying. Meanwhile, TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh claimed that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government had broken the backbone of the farmers by diluting the free electricity supply scheme and fixing meters on agricultural motors. “It was Jagan who has broken every promise given to the farmers, youth, women and job seekers prior to the elections,” Lokesh said. With inputs from agencies