GO 1 1 1 gone, ryots prefer to till, not sell prized land

HYDERABAD: Despite facing losses for seven consecutive years, Srinivas Reddy, 55, a guava farmer in Reddypalli village, which falls in what was once GO 111 area, has been thwarting lucrative offers from builders for his two-acre piece of land.
Nestled amid a gated community and commercial plots near Chilkur, Srinivas is among a handful of farmers who have held out thus far.They see more value in their struggle as farmers than making crores overnight.

"I've seen 60% of farmers leaving the profession here over the years," Srinivas says. "There have been offers to buy my land since 2006. I was offered Rs 3 lakh per acre back then. Now, it's Rs 4 crore. They (realtors) have given up because they know I won't sell my land regardless of the price." He invested around Rs 60,000 for the plantation and his revenue was only Rs 40,000 this year.
"I cannot leave this profession nor part with the land that fed my family for generations," he adds.
These farmers, who are probably the last in their generation to cultivate land, see themselves as the last line of defence against rapid urbanisation.
Madhu Bala, a paddy farmer from Chevalla, too was pressured to sell his one-and-half acres, but he stood his ground. "Both my sons are working in the IT sector and insist I sell the land. But, if I do that, then any connection that I or my family have to my village will end," Madhu, 61, says.
The pressure on these farmers can be gauged from the fact that many youngsters from their own community have left farming to become real estate agents.
Farm labourers demand hefty sums these days as many have shifted to construction labour. A day's wage costs between Rs 800 and Rs 1,000. Some farmers even tried to mechanise farming, replacing labour with spraying drones. But not all can afford the latest technology, nor do they have the expertise," S Srikanth, a local activist explained.
Despite all this, Surya Prakash, a software engineer, returned to his village and took to permaculture farming. "I barely earn anything from selling the produce. I give the fruits away to my relatives for free. Buy I love what I do, I look forward to settling down here," Prakash said.
While there are farmers who are keen on protecting their vocation, another major reason for not selling their land includes the prospective increase in land value. "We know that farming will end within our generation. If so, at least our children who will inherit this land should benefit substantially from its sale. When the right price and time comes, the land will be sold partially or entirely," Shankaraiah, a farmer residing closer to Chilkur said.