Visakhapatnam: Farmers staged a protest at Maradana Street in Komarada mandal headquarters of Parvathipuram Manyam district on Monday, alleging delay in the supply of subsidised paddy seeds through Rythu e-Seva centres ahead of the cultivation season.
The protesters said the promised seed stocks had not been supplied despite the passage of time, creating uncertainty among farmers preparing for sowing. They urged the authorities to ensure immediate distribution of the required quantity of seeds.
Farmers also objected to the existing policy of providing only two bags of paddy seed at a 33 per cent subsidy irrespective of the extent of landholding. They argued that the limit was inadequate, particularly in the tribal agency mandal, and demanded that the government provide the full seed requirement of each farmer at a 90 per cent subsidy.
According to the protesters, the shortage is forcing farmers to purchase seeds from private outlets and centres such as Gomuru at higher prices, increasing cultivation costs.
CPM leader Kolli Sambamurthy, who joined the protest, said the failure to provide adequate seed supplies was pushing farmers towards private markets. He demanded sufficient distribution of seeds to all eligible farmers and government support for cultivation.
Sambamurthy warned that if the authorities continued to supply only one or two bags per farmer and failed to address the shortage, farmers, with the support of the CPM, would intensify their agitation. He said a larger protest would be organised at Rythu e-Seva centres if the issue remained unresolved.
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