Andhra Congress Stages Bold Protest for Banana Farmers' Rights

YS Sharmila Reddy, APCC President, drives a banana-laden vehicle to protest against the market crisis affecting banana farmers in Andhra Pradesh. She highlights severe price drops, trader exploitation, and inadequate government support, urging immediate interventions to alleviate the farmers' financial distress.

In a heartfelt gesture of solidarity with struggling banana farmers, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee President YS Sharmila Reddy staged a unique protest in the YSR Kadapa district on Monday. Driving herself, Reddy delivered a vehicle filled with bananas directly to the District Collector's office, emphasizing the severe crisis that has gripped the region's banana industry.

Addressing the media after submitting a memorandum to the Joint Collector, Reddy detailed the grim situation faced by banana farmers, who have seen prices plummet from 26,000 rupees to a mere 4,000 rupees per tonne. She accused trader syndicates of market manipulation, leaving farmers in perennial financial ruin, unable to recoup their substantial investment of up to 3 lakh rupees per acre.

Reddy denounced the absence of essential cold storage facilities, forcing farmers into desperate sales at meager prices. She criticized the lack of effective government intervention and highlighted unfulfilled crop insurance promises, including pending claims worth 170 crore rupees. Demanding swift action, Reddy called for fair pricing, crackdown on exploitative traders, and timely deployment of stabilization funds to support beleaguered farmers. The Congress, she vowed, remains steadfast in advocating for farmers' rights until justice is achieved.

(With inputs from agencies.)