The Andhra Pradesh Tenant Farmers’ Union (AP Tenant Farmers’ Union) has released a comprehensive survey report highlighting the acute difficulties faced by tenant farmers across the state. The survey, conducted between September 20 and October 20 in all 26 districts, included nearly 3,000 respondents — about 100 to 125 from each district — and revealed the precarious conditions of tenant farmers who form the backbone of Andhra Pradesh’s agriculture.
According to the report, 92.3% of leases are verbal and only 3.9% are written contracts. Almost 70% of the tenants belong to BC, SC and ST communities and more than half (52.3%) do not own any land. The remaining 47.7% own small plots and cultivate other leased plots.
The study found a steep 43% rise in land rental rates this year, with rents rising by ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 per acre compared to last year. Alarmingly, 87.7% of tenant farmers have not received official identification cards, which are necessary to access government benefits. As land documents are often withheld by landowners, 91.4% of tenant farmers were unable to register their crops in the e-Crop system, preventing 96.2% of them from selling their produce at government procurement centers at minimum support prices.
The Union criticized the state government for replacing the compulsory crop insurance scheme with a voluntary one, leaving 99.1% of tenant farmers uninsured as they cannot afford the premiums. Additionally, 92.7% rely on private moneylenders for crop loans because banks deny them formal credit.
Urging the government to fulfill its election promises, the association demanded amendments to the CC&R Act that would allow issuance of tenant identification cards without the landowner’s consent, crop loans based on tenant cards, ₹20,000 in direct financial assistance under the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme to each landless farmer and waiver of private agricultural debts through special legislation.
Tenant Farmers Union General Secretary P. Jamulayya appealed to both the state and central governments to provide entry subsidies and insurance compensation directly to tenants affected by natural calamities and damage caused by pests.
Published – 27 Oct 2025 20:48 IST
