Hyderabad: BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao on Saturday alleged a complete collapse of procurement operations amid a growing paddy procurement crisis after inspecting a centre in Baddenapalli village of Sircilla constituency.
He said farmers had brought produce to the procurement centre for over a month, yet not “even a single grain” was purchased. The paddy procurement crisis, he added, exposed serious gaps in planning and execution.
Rama Rao questioned the absence of rice mill allocations and asked how procurement and weighing could proceed without basic arrangements. He said the system lacked essential infrastructure required to handle incoming produce.
Paddy procurement crisis exposes alleged MSP delays
The BRS leader accused the Congress government of deliberately stalling procurement to avoid paying Minimum Support Price and bonuses. He said the paddy procurement crisis was pushing farmers towards middlemen, who operated for commissions.
He also dismissed assurances related to Rythu Bandhu, calling them “empty promises”. According to him, farmers were not receiving the support promised by the government.
Citing inputs from local officials, Rama Rao said even 1,000 quintals had not been procured in Sircilla so far. Meanwhile, farmers were forced to spend their own money on tarpaulins to protect paddy from unseasonal rains.
Paddy procurement crisis sparks protest warning
Rama Rao criticised Rahul Gandhi, saying claims of running a “farmers’ government” did not match the ground reality. He said the ongoing paddy procurement crisis contradicted those claims.
KTR warned that the BRS would launch protests if procurement did not begin immediately. He added that farmers were facing increasing hardship due to delays.
Expressing confidence, Rama Rao said the BRS would return to power within two years. He said the party would implement stronger safeguards to protect farmers and ensure timely procurement.