- Hundreds of palm oil growers assembled to discuss the issue
- Demand the government to order an enquiry on the defecting seedling supply by the officials
Palm growers in the state are up in arms against the nonchalant attitude of the State government over the issue of supplying off-type palm plants to the farmers by the Telangana Cooperative Oil-seeds Growers Federation and the lack of response in paying compensation.
They demanded the government order a comprehensive inquiry into the irresponsible and deceitful attitude of the officials in supplying defective palm seedlings to the farmers, who are left in the lurch due to heavy loss. The farmers demanded the government should order a comprehensive inquiry and take action against the concerned officials. Hundreds of oil-palm growers assembled in Khammam under the leadership of Tumburu Maheswara Reddy and discussed a plan of action to exert pressure on the government to solve the issue.
Julakanti Ranga Reddy, a former legislator, who addressed the palm growers, said the state government is not acting in favor of the farmers regarding the palm-growers’ issue. “Thousands of farmers lost their crops and labor with the off-type seedlings, and the defectiveness of the seedlings was exposed only after three years. There is no end to the agony of the farmers whose investment was lost. There is no parameter to gauge the three years of labor,” he said. The government should respond to the issue immediately. The farmers found fault with the non-serious attitude of the government, he said.
It is time for the government to announce compensation to the farmers for the loss due to the fault of the oil-fed operation. The government should inquire into the scam and take action against the erring officials. Ranga Reddy demanded the government to announce the price of palm as Rs 25,000 per ton. He said that the Telangana government planned to raise palm oil on 20 lakh acres in thirteen areas in Telangana. The government should set up palm oil units on its own instead of promoting private operators. The former legislator said that the government should follow a scientific approach in dealing with the issue of palm-oil growers by announcing good package to the farmers who lost their crop. The palm growers, including Rao Jogi Babu, Chelikani Venkatrao, Dodda Chakradhar Reddy, Amaraneni Appa Rao, Dodda Laxminarayana, Dhanamma, Chava Venu, Yanamaddi Lenin, S. Narasaiah, and others took part in the meeting.
Principle Correspondent, Prime Post
Adapa Dora, journalist cum farmer, proved his excellence in both the fields. While working in Andhra Bhoomi (Telugu Paper) and Deccan Chronicle, he forced a famous seed company to pay compensation to the maize farmers for crop loss due to the supply of spurious seeds to them. He wished to maintain harmony between tribals and non-tribals in the mandals of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district for the prosperous of both groups.
