BRS MLCs protest with chilli garlands, demand Rs 25,000 MSP

In a unique protest on the Legislative Council premises, BRS MLCs staged a demonstration wearing chilli garlands to draw attention to the crisis faced by the chilli farmers of Telangana. The legislators demanded that the government immediately announce an MSP of Rs 25,000 per quintal and resolve the growing distress among farmers. The BRS MLCs pointed out that during the last season, chilli was cultivated in over four lakh acres across Telangana, but due to poor prices, the cultivation area has now dropped to 2.4 lakh acres. Expressing serious concern, they urged the state government to intervene and press the Centre to procure chilli through NAFED and MARKFED at a guaranteed MSP of Rs 25,000 per quintal. They also demanded that Telangana’s premium chilli should be promoted in international markets and urged the state to take proactive steps to bag foreign markets. The MLCs also called for the inclusion of chilli in the food crops category instead of the Spices Board, ensuring better benefits for farmers. “The government must wake up before it is too late. Farmers are struggling due to the price slump, and if corrective measures are not taken, Telangana’s chilli crop will take an even bigger hit,” the MLCs warned.