Rythu Sangham demands rollback of fertilizer, fuel price hike

The Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham on Sunday demanded immediate withdrawal of the recent hike in the prices of fertilizers, and petrol and diesel, alleging that the Centre’s policies were pushing the agriculture sector into a deep crisis ahead of the 2026 kharif season.

In a statement, Sangham State president V. Krishnayya and State secretary K. Prabhakar Reddy said companies had increased prices of complex fertilizers twice in a span of 15 days, citing West Asia crisis as a reason. The Centre was allowing the companies to shift the burden of rising costs onto the farmers instead of protecting the agricultural sector, they alleged.

The association leaders said even FACT, a fertilizer company under the Central government, had increased prices again, indirectly encouraging private and cooperative companies to follow suit.

The Centre should provide subsidies to fertilizer manufacturers and ensure that farmers were not burdened with additional costs, they demanded.

The sangham leaders also criticised the recent increase in petrol and diesel prices by over ₹3 per litre, warning that further hikes could severely affect farmers dependent on fuel for cultivation and transport activities.

‘Harassment of farmers’

They also condemned the alleged harassment of farmers at Bhogapuram in Srikakulam district, where land-losers protesting against approach road works for the airport project were allegedly manhandled.

The leaders alleged that officials, contractors and police had forcibly entered farmlands without paying compensation and used heavy machinery to continue work despite protests by the affected farmers. They demanded criminal action against the officials, contractors and heavy machinery operators involved in the incident.