Babu participates at the all-party farmers meet

HYDERABAD: An all-party farmers’ organisation resolved on Sunday to intensify its agitation in phases over the plight of agriculturists in the state.Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu, who presided over the meeting, told reporters later that they would give representations to the chief minister, Union agriculture minister and the prime minister. “We will also organise crop-wise and district-wise meetings with farmers and consolidate them.” Naidu said that the farmers’s organisation would conduct a signature campaign to bring pressure on the state and central governments to resolve farmers’ problems. ``Though water is available in plenty in the delta areas, farmers there are declaring crop holidays. It shows how agriculture is pushing farmers into losses. Our aim is to make agriculture profitable. So we demand implementation of agri-scientist MS Swaminathan’s recommendations on fixing the price of farm produce,” Naidu said.The crop holiday (refraining from raising crops) declared by farmers in some parts of the state was nothing but farmers’ non-cooperation with the government, Naidu opined. The input cost increased manifold making agriculture most expensive, he said, adding that the increase in diesel prices would also affect farming.The paddy produced in the last three seasons was lying in godowns and the state government was unable to procure it, the former chief minister complained. ``The prices of cotton, sugarcane and paddy have come down while the cost of Bt cotton seed has gone up. Due to the inefficient administration, farmers are purchasing Bt cotton seeds on the black market. Our single-point programme is to make agriculture profitable. We are not demanding minimum support price for farm produce. Like in any sector, farmers too should get profits.”The TDP chief declared that they would meet leaders in Delhi to seek their support for a nationwide campaign on farmers’ problems. A committee will be formed to coordinate with others in this direction.CPI leader K Ramakrishna said farmers were purchasing Bt cotton seeds at Rs 2,600 a packet on the black market.Federation of Farmers’ Associations president P Chengal Reddy, Y Nagendra Nath, TDP MLA Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, MP K Narayana Rao, Telugu Rytu president N Venkateswara Rao, CPM leader S Malla Reddy, LSP leader K Srinivasa Rao and others attended the meeting.