Crop loan waiver should be for all genuine farmers, says Chengal Reddy

Chengal Reddy said that every farmer, irrespective of the land in his possession, should merit consideration for the government support for crop investment.

Hyderabad: The promises made by governments to farmers are crucial, and they should be upheld by all means without any attempt to segregate further the farmers’ community on the basis of their land holdings or food security cards certifying their income status for extending direct benefits – whether it be the loan waiver or Rythu Bharosa, prominent farmer activist and agricultural reforms campaigner Chengal Reddy said.

The Secretary-General of the Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations (CIFA), which networks over 400 farmers’ associations across India, Chengal Reddy told Telangana Today that every farmer, irrespective of the land in his possession, should merit consideration for the government support for crop investment.

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People who have large chunks of land in their possession but not using it for agriculture purposes would not require any government support at all, he said, expressing hope that the State government would not venture to restrict the loan waiver to only the farmers who have food security cards in possession. The larger the size of holdings in the possession of the farmer, the losses incurred by him were greater year after year. In the given situation, no farmer would wish his son to be a farmer by inheritance.

“Farmers play an essential role in our lives- they provide the food we need to survive, contribute to environmental protection, and even impact climate change. But their needs are not taken care of. Farmers have no export market for the paddy they produce, thanks to the ban on rice exports. He has no minimum support for the oil seeds he produces. In recent years, global events like the war in Ukraine, the Covid-19 pandemic, and extreme weather conditions have highlighted the vulnerability of our food supply. It’s essential that politicians recognize the importance of food security and prioritize it. The farmers deserve every support,” he said.

Stating that governments would be accountable for the promises it has made to farmers, Chengal Reddy pointed out that farmers continue to pay a GST of 12 per cent on farm mechanisation equipment including tractors, while the Centre implements a five per cent uniform IGST rate on all aircraft and aircraft engine parts to stimulate the industry. Such initiatives make no secret of the government’s priorities, he said.

“Farmers are just the vote banks. But they should not be fooled too often,” he cautioned.