No need to panic over recent drop in chilli prices Andhra CM Naidu

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh)/New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said that there is no need to panic over the recent drop in chilli prices and assured that he has discussed the matter with the central government in New Delhi.
    Attributing the drop to a significant decline in global demand, Naidu said he had discussed the issue with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
    "This time, prices have fallen significantly. Previously, the international market was strong, ensuring good returns for farmers. However, due to a decline in global demand, prices have dropped," Naidu said in an official press release.
    Observing that he had held a video conference with Chouhan, the CM said the Union Minister would hold a review meeting on Friday regarding chilli prices.
    Averring that he had urged the Centre to intervene and support farmers, Naidu said price determination should consider the cost of cultivation.
    He reiterated that he had requested the Union Minister to address these issues.
    According to the TDP supremo, the southern state needs to procure 1.2 million tons of chillies this year, of which 4 lakh tons have already arrived in the market. The crop was cultivated on 5 lakh acres.
    "Our primary objective is to support farmers in every possible way. On Saturday, we will meet with traders and market committee representatives to understand the reasons behind the price drop," Naidu said.
    Crop prices fluctuate—sometimes they rise, and sometimes they fall, said Naidu, adding that those who had done nothing for farmers in the past are now speaking up, in a veiled reference to YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.
    Before 2019, when prices dropped, we released Rs 138 crore to support chilli farmers—something unprecedented in the country, Naidu said.
    Meanwhile, YSRCP chief and former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy slammed Naidu for allegedly neglecting the crisis faced by chilli farmers and demanded that he take immediate action to support them, including procuring the commodity.
    "Chilli yields have dropped to just 10 quintals per acre, while production costs have risen to Rs 1.5 lakh per acre. With no buyers, farmers are being forced to sell their produce at a loss of Rs 10,000 per acre," Reddy said in a post on X.
    Despite the severity of the crisis, the state government has not responded. Instead of addressing the issue, Naidu is attending political events in Delhi and "misleading people with political spins over the issue," he claimed.
    Questioning Naidu’s move to seek Central intervention on the issue, the opposition leader claimed that the former knows fully well that the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) has never procured chillies.
    The YSRCP chief accused Naidu of "misleading" farmers instead of utilising state resources such as MARKFED (Andhra Pradesh State Cooperative Marketing Federation Ltd) to procure chillies and stabilise prices.
    Vowing to continue fighting for farmers despite cases allegedly being registered against him, Reddy called on Naidu to "stop playing politics and take immediate steps to help chilli farmers by launching government procurement without delay."

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)