Nearly three lakh acres of agricultural land remain uncultivated in erstwhile Guntur district

Vijayawada: Nearly three lakh acres of agricultural land reportedly remained uncultivated across parts of the erstwhile Guntur district, raising serious concerns among farmers and agricultural experts. The sharp fall in cropped area triggered debate over the changing agrarian landscape in the region, once considered one of the most fertile belts in Andhra Pradesh. While the state govt itself is taking over nearly 1.5 lakh acres of land for various infrastructure works, including the proposed outer ring road (ORR) of Amaravati, national highways, and railway lines, private real-estate developers are on a spree of converting agricultural land to commercial use to develop layouts. According to agricultural department sources, vast stretches of farmland that were traditionally used for paddy and other commercial crops remained fallow during the current Rabi season. Farmers cited multiple reasons for the decline, including rising input costs, labour shortages, irregular water supply, and inadequate remunerative prices for produce. Many tenant farmers, in particular, were said to be facing mounting financial pressure, making cultivation increasingly unviable. In several mandals, fields that once yielded abundant harvests now lie barren. Agricultural activity reportedly reduced significantly compared to previous years. Officials indicated that cropping intensity dropped due to a combination of economic and climatic factors. The issue is also evident in areas falling under the newly formed Palnadu district, where a noticeable portion of cultivable land was not brought under the plough. Farmers said that while input expenses such as seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, and diesel increased steadily, market prices did not keep pace. As a result, many cultivators are either scaling down operations or temporarily withdrawing from farming. A major contributing factor is the fast shift of agricultural lands towards non-agricultural uses, including real estate and commercial use. The Centre sanctioned major national highways in Guntur, Palnadu, and Bapatla districts in the last two years. While the NHAI itself acquired a massive extent of land, contractor firms purchased land only for excavation of gravel (road metal) for the upcoming NHs. Farmers also reported that leasing land to gravel contractors was a profitable option. The state govt also directed district collectors to ensure that contractors for the capital city projects did not face any shortage of road metal, gravel, and other material. This prompted several farmers to explore avenues for making quick money through short-term contracts in the capital city. While land close to the highway is fetching fancy prices for real-estate ventures, barren land is being utilised for road metal excavation. "With nearly three lakh acres remaining uncultivated, the situation underscores the urgent need for policy intervention to revive confidence among farmers and restore the region's agricultural vitality," said CPM leader Pasam Rama Rao.