YSRCP president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has accused the Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government of abandoning tobacco farmers and leaving them at the mercy of a traders’ syndicate. Meeting a delegation of growers from Nellore, Prakasam, Eluru and East Godavari districts at the party’s central office, Jagan promised a strong fight for their cause and announced he would tour the erstwhile West Godavari region within ten days to pressure the administration.
Prices Crash Below Assured Levels
According to the data presented, tobacco purchases are normally completed within 100 days of the season. Yet 94 days into the current season, only 38 million kg has been procured against a total production of 232 million kg — a mere 16.5 per cent of the crop. Farmers are being forced into distress sales as the bulk of the produce remains unsold.
Prices have collapsed far below the promised levels. At Gollapudi the rate stood at ₹170 per kg, at Sompeta ₹179, and at Kandukur ₹184–₹186. The Sompeta figure of ₹179 was recorded the very day after an official assurance that prices would not fall below ₹200. In sharp contrast, under the previous YSRCP government the peak price had touched ₹411 per kg, with the 2023-24 season average standing at ₹289 per kg.
Jagan alleged that traders have formed a syndicate, that no licences have been cancelled and that no concrete action has been taken against those manipulating the market. He demanded that the government immediately deploy Markfed to inject competition and stabilise prices. He pointed out that his YSRCP Government spent over Rs 7,800 crore through the Price Stabilization Fund and Rs 7,802 crore under free crop insurance. While Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) actively monitored market rates.
“There is no remunerative price for any crop,” Jagan Said, adding that aqua farmers are facing a similar crisis under the present government. He said the TDP regime’s inaction has left growers helpless and that YSRCP would continue to agitate until the administration wakes up and protects the interests of tobacco farmers.
