Hyderabad: Farmers in Metpalli town, Jagtial district, staged a protest on Friday demanding immediate maize procurement at the declared Minimum Support Price (MSP) through Markfed. Rythu Ikya Vedika led the protest near the old bus stand on the national highway.
The farmers said the maize harvest was over days ago, yet the government had not opened procurement centres. They noted that market rates had dropped below ₹1,800 per quintal, while the MSP was ₹2,400. This gap was causing losses of ₹500 to ₹600 per quintal.
Maize procurement at MSP: Farmers block NH in protest
Protesters accused the government of ignoring repeated appeals. They demanded swift action to prevent further hardship. During the protest, farmers raised slogans and blocked traffic, leading to major disruptions on the highway.
Rythu Ikya Vedika district president Nalla Ramesh Reddy and leaders Tirupathi Reddy and Maru Muralidhar Reddy joined the demonstration. They urged the state to act immediately and protect farmers from financial loss.