The chickpea growers in Prakasam district are a worried lot as pest infestation in the wake of unseasonal rains in January adversely impacted the productivity drastically this year. They plead with the Andhra Pradesh government to bail them out by procuring the pulse crop at an enhanced price of ₹7,000 per quintal.
Projected as an alternative to tobacco, farmers in Prakasam district have cultivated the protein-rich commercial crop including hybrid varieties such as KAK II and Mexican Bold in more than 2 lakh acres as it is a low risk crop which can sustain itself with little moisture from winter dew and give a good yield. However, they now rue their fate as rampant pest infestation resulted in a 40% fall in productivity.
The Market Intervention Scheme announced by the State government to purchase both local and hybrid varieties at a uniform price of ₹5,230 per quintal has not gone down well with the farmers.
