Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA, Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary, on Monday said that the farming community in the State is suffering a lot due to the faulty policies of the State Government. Farmers have been suffering a lot as the dues for their products last year have not been cleared yet, Butchaih Chowadry said.

Talking to media persons, the TDP MLA felt an immediate need to discontinue the conditions laid down in the new farm policy as they are in no way helpful to the farming community. Either the Minimum Support Price is being implemented properly or compensation is being paid to the farmers for the crop loss due to natural calamities, he said.

“The State occupied the third position in the country in farmers suicides and in the first place in farmers debts. The agriculturists are facing severe problems in selling their farm products due to the new conditions,” Butchaiah Chowadary maintained.

When Chandrababu Naidu was the chief minister of the State the dues to the farmers for selling their products were paid within a week, he said. But after Jagan Mohan Reddy came to power even after months the dues are still pending, he added.

Butchaiah Chowadary said that the Rythu Bharosa Centres have turned into YSRCP corrupt centres as the farm products are purchased only on recommendations from the ruling party leaders. At least now, the administration should take necessary measures to ensure that the farm products are purchased from all the farmers and the amount is paid on time, he said.

Also, the shortage of gunny bags is haunting the rice millers following which the rice-millers are not coming forward to purchase the grain, he said and wanted the government to direct the departments concerned to take the immediate remedial measures and bail out the farming community. Butchaih Chowdary also demanded that the long-pending dues to the farmers be cleared immediately.