AP CM Writes to Centre Seeking Maize Procurement, PM-AASHA Support for Farmers
Amaravati, Apr 27 (TNT): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday urged Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan seeking immediate intervention to address distress among maize farmers in the state.
In his letter, the Chief Minister requested the Centre to procure maize produced during the 2025–26 Rabi season and extend support under the Price Deficiency Payment Scheme of the PM-AASHA.
Naidu said maize farmers are facing severe losses due to falling market prices, with the crop currently selling at ₹1,600–₹1,700 per quintal, significantly below the Minimum Support Price of ₹2,400 per quintal.
He informed that the state is expected to produce about 42.06 lakh metric tonnes of maize this season, while an additional 14.26 lakh metric tonnes is under harvest.
The Chief Minister urged the Centre to compensate farmers for the price gap under PM-AASHA and requested that Andhra Pradesh be treated as a special case, with 100 per cent funding support from the Union government.
He also sought extension of the scheme till June 2026.
Naidu further requested early approval for implementation of the scheme in coordination with National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India and AP Markfed to ensure timely relief to farmers.
TNT KM
