Farmers demand higher crop loans, subsidized inputs before Kharif season

Officials of AP Farmers Association and Tenants Association are staging a protest outside the Collectorate in Vijayawada on Monday. | Photo credit: GN Rao

Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham along with Andhra Pradesh Tenant Farmers’ Association urged the state government to strengthen crop loans, increase farm input subsidies and provide crop loss compensation to farmers and tenant growers before the Kharif season begins.

The associations staged a dharna in Vijayawada on Monday and later submitted a memorandum to District Collector NTR Dr. G. Lakshmisha. Addressing the gathering, Tenant Farmers Association state general secretary P. Jamalaiah and Rythu Sangham state vice-president Malneedi Yalamanda Rao demanded that the government increase the “scale of finance” in line with the rising cost of cultivation and extend crop loans of up to ₹2 lakh to tenant farmers without insisting on collateral or guarantees.

They also sought supply of seed for all major crops, including green manure crops, with 90% subsidy and demanded measures to curb escalating seed prices. The leaders further demanded immediate release of funds for Munneru Barrage, Kanchala-Vedadri and Tarakarama Lift Irrigation projects and urged the government to carry out repairs to ensure adequate supply of irrigation water. They demanded that ‘Operation Budameru’ be launched on a war footing to protect farmers from recurring floods and drainage problems.

Referring to the NDA government’s election promises, they sought simplified issuance of cultivation recognition cards for tenant farmers and compensation of ₹21,000 per acre to maize farmers under the ‘Inadequate Price Payment Regime’. They also demanded compensation of Rs 1 lakh per acre for horticulture crops damaged by recent unseasonal rains, hail and strong winds. Other demands included increasing ‘Annadata Sukhibhava’ assistance to ₹50,000, extending benefits to tenant farmers, reducing fertilizer prices, supplying agricultural fuel at ₹35 per liter tax-free and waiving crop loans up to ₹2,000. Leaders of farmers and CPI participated in the protest.

Published – 01 Jun 2026 20:25 IST