Senior Congress leader Chinta Mohan, on Monday, alleged that the tomato prices skyrocketing to more than ₹200 a kilo in the country was a result of the entry of corporate forces into agriculture and their manipulation of the farmers.
‘Corporates manipulating farmers’
Speaking to the media here on Monday, after visiting a vegetable market, Mr. Mohan said that the corporate forces from Gujarat gave loans to poor tomato farmers in the Madanapalle region a few months ago. “Now, they have taken control of the tomato prices. By manipulating the prices to ₹200 a kg, the tomato stocks are being dumped at the godowns in Karnataka and released into the market at exorbitant prices across India,” he added.
“Now, they (corporates) have taken control of the tomato prices. By manipulating the prices to ₹200 a kg, the tomato stocks are being dumped at the godowns in Karnataka and released into the market at exorbitant prices across India”Chinta MohanSenior Congress leader, Andhra Pradesh
The former Union Minister blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for the farmers’ predicament. “The farmers are only getting a pittance while the hiked tomato prices are fetching heavy profits to the billionaires,” he said.
‘Take inspiration from Haryana, Punjab’
Mr. Mohan said that the tomato growers should take inspiration from the farmers of Haryana and Punjab and fight against the middleman system and the involvement of corporate forces in agriculture.
He observed that the common public is worried about the prices of almost all essential commodities, particularly vegetables, touching the roof. “When the Congress party comes to power, price control would be implemented to protect the farmers from the corporate forces and safeguard the common man’s interests,” he said.
Later, Chinta Mohan visited the SC/ST colonies in Puthalapattu, Chittoor, and Gangadhara Nellore Assembly Constituencies.
