Sunflower farmers stage protest over delay in payments in Siddipet

Farmers in Siddipet staged a protest over the delay in sunflower procurement payments. Despite promises of depositing money within 48-hour deposits, the amount remains unpaid even after 75 days. BRS leaders joined the protest, demanding immediate disbursal to support Vanakalam expenses.

Siddipet: Farmers in Siddipet staged a protest on Thursday over the delay in payment for sunflower procurement. The protest, led by Thoguta Society chairman K Harikrishna Reddy, took the form of a rasta-roko at Thoguta.

Speaking on the occasion, Reddy said the government had purchased sunflowers worth Rs 3 crore from 400 farmers in Thoguta mandal. Though the procurement was completed 75 days ago, there were no signs of the payment being released to the farmers, he said.

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The farmers expressed concern over their inability to mobilise funds to meet Vanakalam agricultural expenses.

BRS mandal president Jeedipally Ram Reddy pointed out that the government also failed to extend Yasangi Rythu Bharosa to all farmers and had denied loan waivers to a majority.

Meanwhile, BRS leaders Kambala Yella Reddy, Yedla Somi Reddy and others criticised the Congress government for the delay in payments. They recalled that the government had promised to deposit the money within 48 hours of procurement. However, even after three months, the payments had not been credited, they said.

They demanded immediate release of the pending payments to support farmers during the ongoing cropping season.