Leaders of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha(SKM) on Saturday exhorted the Union government to treat the loss incurred by chilli growers in six States, including Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, following ‘Thrips Parvispinus’ infestation as a national calamity and provide compensation to distressed farmers.

Leading a demonstration in front of the Prakasam Bhavan here, Prakasam district convener of the umbrella farmer organisations Ch. Ranga Rao pointed out that a disturbing trend of suicides among chilli growers, who had spent about ₹1.50 lakh per acre, had reportedly begun to surface after the production dipped due to the infestation.

‘Input subsidy not enough’

Chilli growers in the district, a majority of them tenant farmers, got an yield of less than three quintals per acre against 25 quintals, added All India Kisan Sabha Prakasam district general secretary Vadde Hanuma Reddy, who along with Mr. Ranga Rao demanded that every chilli grower be paid a compensation of ₹1 lakh with both the Union and State governments providing ₹50,000 each.

The spice crop is grown in six lakh acres in the State that include 1.25 lakh acres in Prakasam district. Input subsidy of a mere ₹6,000 would not suffice as farmers in the western parts of the district, including Markapur and Yerragondapalem, and in the areas close to Guntur district such as Inkollu, Parchur, Yaddanapudi, Martur, Karamchedu, and J. Ponguluru had lost most of the crop, explained Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangam Prakasam district president P. Hanumantha Rao.

‘Govt. suppressing stir’

Later, the farmer leaders raised slogans against the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for allegedly trying to suppress the stir by foisting cases and arresting them during the ‘Assembly Chalo’ programme in Vijayawada on March 10.

Acharya N.G. Ranga Kisan Samatha general secretary Chunchu Seshaiah said farmers were perplexed following the State government’s decision to withdraw from the Prime Minister’s Fasal Bima Yojana without first putting in place an alternative to provide succour to farmers who suffered crop losses.