Congress Rajya Sabha Member Palvai Govardhan Reddy has requested the Centre to take a serious note of the problems of cotton farmers in Andhra Pradesh and protect them by providing loans at 3% interest and marketing their produce.
Making a zero hour mention in the Rajya Sabha today, Govardhan Reddy said that several cotton farmers committed suicide as they became debt-ridden. He said that ever since B.T. cotton seed was permitted to be sold in Andhra Pradesh, cotton farmers were facing financial problems due to a variety of reasons. He said farmer needs good weather conditions and market help to get profits through B.T. cultivation. In A.P. 71% of B.T. crop has failed in 2011 he added. The newly elected member has urged the government to immediately come to the rescue of cotton farmers in the State. (NSS)