YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) general secretary MVS Nagireddy has expressed grave concern over the growing financial pressure on farmers, pointing to high input costs and uncontrolled agricultural imports as major threats to their survival.
In a press release on Tuesday (March 3, 2026), Mr. Nagi Reddy highlighted the price of mixed green manure seed supplied by National Seed Corporation and said that a 4 kg pack is sold at ₹ 700, which translates to ₹ 17,500 per 100 kg or ₹ 175 per kg. He noted that green manure seed is a basic input that farmers must purchase to improve soil fertility, thus high prices increase the cost of cultivation.
In contrast, he found that most pulses produced by farmers do not sell above ₹8,000 per 100 kg, which is around ₹80 per kg. “When basic agricultural inputs cost more than double the price farmers receive for their produce, how can agriculture remain viable?” he asked.
Referring to repeated assurances of doubling farmers’ income, Mr. Reddy said that real growth in income is possible only when farmers are able to sell their produce at remunerative prices. He pointed out that crops such as pulses, maize, soya and cotton are often sold even below the minimum support price (MSP) and in some cases without effective purchase support.
He further expressed concern that agricultural imports are allowed without sufficient protection for domestic producers. According to him, for every import of agricultural commodities, the cost of landing in India should be at least 10% higher than the MSP notified by the government. “This is a basic conservation principle. Ignoring it is pushing our own farmers into economic distress,” he said.
Urging policy makers, economists and responsible stakeholders to think seriously about the issue and develop measures to ensure fair returns to farmers, Mr. Reddy warned that continued neglect could threaten the sustainability of Indian agriculture.
Published – March 3, 2026 3:23 PM IST
