Telangana CM accused Center of increasing fertilizer prices, flawed in MSP
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has accused the central Government of the significant increase in fertilizer prices and a flawed mechanism for determining the minimum support price (MSP) for various crops, which has rendered agriculture unprofitable. He requested that the Union Government keep prices at their current levels and bear any additional costs.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, he said that prices for the most commonly used fertilizers, 28.28.0 (nitrogen, phosphorous), and potash, had risen by more than 50% and 100%, respectively, in the previous three months. ‘Contrary to the promise of doubling farmers’ income, input costs have doubled in the last five years, while farmer incomes have decreased,’ he stated.
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‘By rising fertilizer costs, increasing fuel prices, and erroneously determining MSP pricing, the government is not only contributing to an increase in the cost of cultivation for farmers but also failing to deliver on the promise of double farmers’ income,’ he stated.
Political movements
The Chief Minister’s letter follows the State’s recent fruitless battle with the Union Government over the acquisition of parboiled rice.
In the recent few days, the TRS founder-President met with the top leadership of the CPI and CPM, including CPM Secretary Sitaram Yechury, and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as well as RJD founder Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son Tejaswi Prasad Yadav. They discussed the importance of forming a nationwide anti-BJP coalition.
His letter also follows the State BJP’s increasing attacks on the TRS government, as well as a regular flow of BJP national leadership visiting Hyderabad in recent days. Some of the BJP heavyweights who have visited Telangana in the previous few days include BJP President J P Nadda, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Chhattisgarh former Chief Minister Raman Singh.
Chandrashekar Rao, who blamed the BJP administration at the Centre for the poor status of agriculture, added that increasing fuel prices place a significant burden on farmers. ‘The seven-decade-old fertilizer subsidy scheme is being changed against the interests of the farming community,’ he claimed.
Also Read | How many farmers are aware of the Minimum Support Price (MSP)?
MSP calculation error
He said that the Centre purposefully omitted critical farm leases and the cost of fixed capital assets when calculating agricultural costs. ‘The claim that the MSP is set at 150 percent of agricultural costs is deceptive. Farmers are denied MSP payments and forced to sell their produce at cheaper prices, rendering agriculture unprofitable,’ he stated.
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