Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has written a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, urging him to address a burgeoning crisis facing maize farmers in Andhra Pradesh.
In a detailed communication to the Union Minister dated March 24, the Chief Minister highlighted that a significant expansion in the area under maize cultivation led to an overwhelming domestic surplus.
This increase in availability caused spot market trading to remain subdued, with current prices trending dangerously below the Minimum Support Price, he said. “With the Rabi arrivals expected to persist through June 2026, the State government fears that prices will decline even further during the peak arrival window, leaving farmers vulnerable to distress sales that can devastate their livelihoods,” Mr. Naidu said.
To mitigate this economic threat, the Centre was requested urgent implementation of the Price Deficiency Payment under the Market Intervention Scheme as a special consideration for the State.
He specifically asked the Government of India to bear 100% of the financial loss, waiving the standard 50:50 cost-sharing ratio, and enhance procurement coverage from the typical 25% to 100% of the total maize production.
Furthermore, he sought permission to extend the scheme's implementation until June 2026 to ensure comprehensive support for the farming community.
Under this plan, NAFED would coordinate with the AP Markfed to ensure farmers received the direct price difference between the MSP and actual market rates.
The Chief Minister emphasised that such timely intervention was essential to stabilise prices and protect the interests of the State's agriculture sector.