Andhra Pradesh: Cattle Grazers Selling Animals

ANANTAPUR: With drinking water and fodder becoming scarce in villages, drought-hit farmers are being forced to sell their cattle at distress prices. For instance, a farmer, Thimmappa, witnessed trying to sell his cattle worth ₹80,000 even at ₹30,000 after being unable to feed them.

Leading a CPI delegation led by national secretary K Ramakrishna, he visited the cattle market at Anantapur market yard on Sunday.

Ramakrishna interacted with farmers who had brought cows, bulls and milch buffaloes for sale. Farmers said they had purchased cattle for around ₹80,000 but were now struggling to find buyers even at ₹30,000.

Ramakrishna said the El Niño effect and deficient rainfall had severely affected nearly 300 mandals, with groundnut, red gram, green gram and cowpea crops drying up.

Horticulturists were also suffering as borewells had run dry.

He demanded the government declare the drought a national calamity, supply drinking water and fodder, announce crop-loss compensation, waive farm loans and provide fresh credit. He also sought expanded MGNREGS works to prevent migration.