Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 73
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 74
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
Notice (8): Undefined variable: urlPrefix [APP/Template/Layout/printlayout.ctp, line 8]latest-news-updates/agriculture-loans-a-far-cry-for-tenant-farmers-in-andhra-jayanth-p-4680234.html"/> LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Agriculture loans a far cry for tenant farmers in Andhra -Jayanth P | Im4change.org
Resource centre on India's rural distress
 
 

Agriculture loans a far cry for tenant farmers in Andhra -Jayanth P

-The Times of India

VIJAYAWADA: The farm credit disbursal system in the state remains crippled for a long time now as a majority of tenant farmers, who constitute about 80 per cent of the cultivators in the state, are unable to avail of the loan facility. Experts say the latest recommendations by the bankers' sub-committees also do not reflect the reality. In fact, they fear the recommendations will only aggravate the situation.

After chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu's instructions on September 12, five sub-committees have studied the farm credit system in the state and made recommendations to the government. While the recommendations seem to be ideal on paper, agriculture experts say that they will not fetch any benefit to tenant farmers.

The bankers' sub-committees recommended that tenant farmers be given loan eligibility cards (LECs) after land owners' approval. "In case of absence of approval from the land owners, loans should be given after verifying the certificate of cultivation (CoC)," one of the recommendations says.

However, experts say they are not at all realistic. "Firstly, no farmer will allow his tenant to obtain loans since the Andhra Pradesh Tenancy Act says that an owner cannot cancel tenancy no matter what the situation is. Unless amendments to the Act are made, the land owners will not take the risk of recognising tenancy on record. The recommendations made by the sub-committees are in no way useful to tenant farmers," said former member of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) M V S Nagi Reddy.

Reddy said that the other clause of disbursal of credit based on CoC will not be successful either. "During the erstwhile Congress regime too, the banks were asked to sanction loans based on the certificate of cultivation. But the banks have not come forward as to advance loans as they do not have any assurance of repayment," he recalled.

A banker, who is involved in giving away farm credits, on condition of anonymity, agreed that giving away loans based on CoC is not practical. "Based on the previous experiences, the default rates have been higher among tenant farmers. So it will not be feasible for the banks to provide credit just based on CoC. Moreover, the authenticity of CoC is also questionable," the banker explained.

According to information, 80 - 85 per cent of farmers in coastal districts and 55 - 60 per cent in four districts of Rayalaseema, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts are tenants.

Please click here to read more.