Tenant farmers reel under steep lease rates, lack of support in Andhra Pradesh: survey

The Andhra Pradesh Tenant Farmers’ Association (A.P. Tenant Farmers’ Union) has released a comprehensive survey report highlighting the acute hardships faced by tenant farmers across the State. Conducted between September 20 and October 20 in all 26 districts, the survey covered nearly 3,000 respondents—around 100 to 125 from each district—and exposed the precarious conditions of tenant farmers who form the backbone of Andhra Pradesh’s agriculture.

According to the report, 92.3% of tenancy agreements are verbal, with only 3.9% being written contracts. Nearly 70% of tenant farmers belong to BC, SC, and ST communities, and more than half (52.3%) do not own any land. The remaining 47.7% own small parcels while cultivating additional leased land.

The study found a steep 43% increase in land lease rates this year, with rents rising by ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 per acre compared to last year. Alarmingly, 87.7% of tenant farmers have not received official identification cards, which are essential to access government benefits. As landowners often withhold land documents, 91.4% of tenant farmers were unable to register their crops under the e-Crop system, preventing 96.2% of them from selling their produce at government procurement centres at minimum support prices.

The Union criticised the State government for replacing the mandatory crop insurance scheme with a voluntary one, leaving 99.1% of tenant farmers uninsured, as they cannot afford the premiums. Additionally, 92.7% rely on private moneylenders for crop loans, since banks deny them formal credit.

Urging the government to fulfil its election promises, the association demanded amendments to the CC&R Act to allow issuance of tenant identification cards without landowner consent, crop loans based on tenancy cards, ₹20,000 in direct financial assistance under the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme to every landless tenant farmer, and a waiver of private agricultural debts through special legislation.

Tenant Farmers’ Union general secretary P. Jamulayya appealed to both the State and Central governments to provide input subsidies and insurance compensation directly to tenant farmers affected by natural calamities and pest damage.