News Analysis India

Tag: Minimum Support Price

  • Congress seeks relaxation in moisture norms for early procurement of paddy at MSP

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday demanded an immediate start of procurement of paddy and other Kharif crops at minimum support price (MSP) after relaxation in norms for moisture content.

    The Centre had on Saturday issued an order to commence paddy procurement in Punjab and Haryana from October 3 after its earlier decision to postpone procurement till October 11 due to recent heavy rains sparked protests.

    Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that the government was “conspiring to end the MSP” by delaying procurement and “not relaxing norms for moisture content in paddy.”

    He demanded that the Centre grant compensation within seven days to farmers whose crops have been damaged by the recent rains from the national disaster relief fund.

    “Conspiring to attack the livelihood of farmers and labourers has become the habit of the Modi government. Earlier it was delaying the procurement of paddy and other crops and now they are attacking the livelihood of farmers by not relaxing norms for moisture content in paddy,” he alleged in a statement.

    The Congress leader said the procurement of crops in Punjab and Haryana was to start by September 25, which was changed even as lakhs of quintals of crops were lying in various mandis.

    No procurement of even a single rupee has so far taken place at the minimum support price announced by the government, he claimed.

    The Haryana government has once again changed to October 3 the date for government procurement at MSP, he said, adding that no crops can be procured at MSP as per existing norms which allow up to 17 percent moisture in crops, whereas crops in the market have a moisture content of 22 to 22.7 percent currently.

    “The Congress demands that the government immediately relaxes the procurement norms for moisture content in crops so that farmers can get relief and their crops are not destroyed. But, the truth is that the Modi government is deliberately conspiring to do like this so that no procurement can take place and the MSP regime can end,” Surjewala alleged.

    “The Congress also demands that the government allows relaxation of up to 25 per cent moisture in paddy for procurement at MSP, which should start immediately. The Congress also demands that the BJP should stop its conspiracy to end MSP regime and grant compensation to farmers within seven days from the national disaster relief fund, for crops damaged in recent rains,” he said.

    The government is “deliberately delaying the procurement of crops so that the farmers do not get the MSP for their crops and are compelled to sell in distress”, he alleged, adding that this is happening for the first time in independent India.

  • Farmers gear up for upcoming protest outside Parliament; Bharatiya Kisan Union dissolves UP executive council

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Convoys of farmers from different parts of Punjab have started their journeys towards Delhi to take part in planned protests outside the Parliament House during the monsoon session, a statement by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said on Monday.

    “We already announced plans to stage protests during the monsoon session of Parliament starting July 22.”

    “Dozens of caravans from different districts including Ludhiana, Sangrur, Mansa, Bathinda, Barnala, Ropar, Fazilka and Faridkot have left already started for Singhu and Tikri Borders,” said the umbrella body of over 40 farmers unions which are agitating since November to press for the scrapping of the three new agri laws and seeking a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP).

    It also reiterated its intention of sending a warning letter to the opposition parties by July 17 to raise their voice in Parliament for the rights of the farmers.

    “Then, every day during the monsoon session of Parliament from July 22 till the end of the session, five members from each farmers’ organisation, totalling at least 200 farmers, will protest outside Parliament,” SKM said.

    The government, which has been projecting the laws as major agricultural reforms, has offered to bring amendments but has ruled out their scrapping.

    The SKM also said that protests against the BJP leaders were continuing in Punjab.

    “Today, a rally was organised against BJP leader Harjeet Grewal at Dhanola of Barnala district.”

    “After gathering at Dhanola’s Dana Mandi, the protesters reached Dhanola Bazaar chanting slogans for repeal of the Black Farm Laws and enactment of a law guaranteeing MSP,” the statement said.

    The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), an influential farmers’ group in north India, on Monday dissolved its executive councils and cells in Uttar Pradesh.

    The BKU’s national executive took the decision in view of an ongoing review of the union, but a revamped UP executive would be formed soon, its media in-charge Dharmendra Malik said.

    “All executive councils of BKU in Uttar Pradesh, including the men’s, women’s and youth wing, besides district and zonal cells, have been dissolved,” Malik said in a statement.

    Except for BKU’s UP unit president Rajveer Singh Jadaun, all other office bearers of all cells have also been relieved of their charges, he said.

    “On the basis of the review in the organisation, all the committees will be formed again soon,” Malik added.

    The BKU, led by its president Naresh Tikait, is part of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of various farmer unions protesting against the three contentious farm laws at Delhi’s borders since November 2020.

    BKU national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait is leading the union’s hundreds of supporters at Ghazipur on the Delhi-UP border for nearly eight months now.

  • Uttar Pradesh govt to purchase wheat directly from farmers under MSP

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh government will purchase wheat directly from farmers from April 1 to June 15 under the Minimum Support Price Scheme.

    The wheat purchase will start from April 1 on the fixed minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 1,975 per quintal this year, Uttar Pradesh Food Commissioner Manish Chauhan said in an official statement.

    For selling wheat, it will be mandatory for farmers to register on the website of the Department of Food, which has been started.

    Farmers can register themselves on their own or through cyber cafes and public convenience centres, he said.

    He said a total of 6,000 purchasing centres are proposed this year, including those of the Food Department and other purchasing agencies, where wheat will be procured from farmers.

    The purchasing centres will operated from 9 am to 6 pm.

    For the convenience of farmers, online token system has been arranged this year under which farmers will be able to get tokens for the sale of wheat at the purchasing centre as per their convenience, he said, adding that the geo tagging of the purchase centres is being done by the remote sensing application center to help farmers get the location and address of the centres easily.

    For ensuring transparent procurement, wheat procurement will be done through ‘Electronic Point of Purchase’ and the facility of nominee has also been arranged for the convenience of the farmers.

    If a farmer is unable to come to the purchasing centre himself, he can nominate a member of his family.

    The nominated member will have to be mentioned in the registration form.

    Aadhaar authentication of the nominated member will also be done, he added.

  • Centre taking all steps to double farmers’ income, says PM Narendra Modi

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Even as his government is facing backlash over the three new farm laws, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the Centre is doing everything to double the income of farmers.

    He was commenting on completion of two years of the PM-Kisan scheme. In a series of tweets, Modi said the government has ushered in a historic increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP). 

    “Over the last seven years, the Government of India has taken many initiatives for transforming agriculture. From better irrigation to more technology, more credit and markets to proper crop insurance, focus on soil health to eliminating middlemen, the efforts are all-encompassing,” he tweeted.

    Praising the “passion and tenacity of our farmers”, Modi said, “On this day, two years ago the PM-Kisan scheme was launched with an aim to ensure a life of dignity as well as prosperity for our hardworking farmers, who work day and night to keep our nation fed. The tenacity and passion of our farmers is inspiring.”

    The PM-Kisan scheme was introduced to hike the income of the farmers by providing monetary support to farmers’ families and also helping them financially to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities.

    An amount of Rs 6,000 per year is transferred in three installments directly into the accounts of the farmers under the scheme, which was launched on on February 24, 2019 by Modi at Gorakhpur, UP. 

    The scheme initially provided income support to all small and marginal farmers who have up to 2 hectares of land. Later, it was expanded to cover all farmer families irrespective of the size of their land holdings. 

  • New agri laws will undercut MSP procurement, Mandi system: Sharad Pawar

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: NCP president Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the new agriculture laws of the Union government will adversely impact the Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement and weaken the `Mandi’ system.

    As farmers’ agitation on Delhi borders against the contentious laws continues unabated, Pawar said in a series of tweets that the MSP mechanism should be strengthened further.

    The new farm laws curtail the powers of Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs or `Mandis’ in common parlance) regarding collection of levy and fees from private traders, dispute resolution, agri-trade licensing and regulation of e-trading,he said.

    “I am also concerned about the amended Essential Commodities Act,” the former Union agriculture minister said.

    Under the amended act, the government will intervene for price control only if rates of horticultural produce go up 100 percent and that of non-perishable items by 50 percent, he said.

    Stock-piling limits have been removed on food grains, pulses, onions, potatoes and oil seeds which can cause apprehension that corporates will purchase commodities at lower rates and sell them at higher prices to consumers, Pawar said.

    “During my tenure, draft APMC rules 2007 were framed for setting up special markets, thereby providing alternative platforms for farmers to market their commodities and utmost care was also taken to strengthen the existing mandisystem,” he said.

    Thousands of farmers have been protesting since late November at Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, demanding a rollback of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

  • MP govt procures record 37.26 lakh MT paddy on support price

    Express News Service
    BHOPAL: The BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh has now reported a record purchase of 37.26 lakh metric ton (MT) paddy on support price from farmers.

    Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while reviewing paddy procurement work on support price, said that Rs 5,000 crores have already been paid to paddy farmers against the procurement of their produce on support price and 90% paddy has already been transported.

    He instructed the officials concerned to make the remaining payment of farmers and complete the transportation of the remaining paddy at the earliest. Further, he directed to complete the milling work of the purchased paddy as soon as possible.

    Chouhan said there was excess paddy purchase in all the districts on support price except Vidisha compared to last year. Districts with the maximum procurement compared to last year include Hoshangabad, Raisen, and Sehore with 217%, 310%, and 321% purchase respectively. A total of 25.85 lakh MT of paddy was purchased in the state in 2019-20 and 21.96 lakh MT in 2018-19.

    Further, a total of 2,24,919 lakh MT of jowar and millet have been purchased at support price this year. In all, 6,491 farmers have sold jowar and 35,926 farmers have sold millet at the support price. The total purchase amount is Rs 497 crore, against which a payment of Rs 496 crore has been made to the farmers.

    For the first time, the government has made a policy of milling during paddy procurement. During the procurement, 60,997 MT paddy was taken by the millers. A maximum of 37,800 MT was done was taken by millers in the Jabalpur district. Instructions have been given for milling of the entire paddy purchased before the rainy season.

    The CM further informed that the registration work for procurement on support price in Rabi season will be done from January 25 to February 20. For this, a total of 4529 registration centres have been set up in the state, compared to 2991 registration centres set up last year.

    The CM also informed that a new system is being put in place for the registration of sublets/ sharecroppers in Rabi season this year. Under this, registration will be made for purchase on support price for a contracted area up to five hectares.

  • Farmers prepared to protest till May 2024: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait

    By PTI
    NAGPUR: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday said farmers are prepared to protest against the Centre’s new farm laws “till May 2024”, and termed the ongoing agitation by peasants at Delhi borders as an “ideological revolution”.

    Addressing a press conference in Nagpur, Tikait said they want a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP).

    Farmers have been protesting near Delhi since November 26, 2020, demanding scrapping of the three new farm laws, which have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.

    However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of the MSP and do away with the mandi system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

    The Supreme Court last Tuesday stayed the implementation of the three new farm laws till further orders and decided to set up a four-member committee to resolve the impasse over them between the Centre and farmers’ unions protesting at Delhi borders.

    ALSO READ| SC to hear pleas on farm laws after recusal of member from panel set up to resolve impasse

    Asked how long will farmers will sit in protest, Tikait said, “We are prepared to sit in protest till May 2024…our demand is that the three laws be taken back and the government provide a legal guarantee on the MSP.”

    The next Lok Sabha elections in the country will be due around April-May 2024. Dismissed allegations that the protest was being fuelled by “rich farmers”, Tikait said people from villages and various outfits have joined the protest.

    “This is an ideological revolution of farmers started from Delhi and will not fail. Farmers from villages do not want us come back until the three farm bills are taken back. The government is adamant on its stance of not withdrawing the bills and this agitation will continue for long,” Tikait added.

    He welcomed the SC’s decision on staying the implementation of the farm laws, but said the committee formed by the apex court has members who “supported” the farm bills. “We do not want to go before the committee formed by the court. The government has also said that the government and farmers will find solution on this issue,” he said.

    ALSO READ| SC-appointed panel on farm laws to hold first meeting on January 19

    Tikait also said the opposition parties in the country were weak and that is why farmers had to start this agitation against the Centre’s new laws.

    On National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) notices to some people supporting the farmers’ protest, he said, “Those who want to be part of the agitation must be ready for court cases, imprisonment and sealing of property.”

  • Rains take down tents but not farmers’ spirit at Noida-Delhi border as protestors stay put

    By PTI
    NOIDA: Protesting farmers at the Noida-Delhi border withstood rains and cold weather conditions as their demonstration against the Centre’s recent farm laws continued here on Sunday.

    Some tents at the protest sites collapsed due to the rain, prompting the farmers to use tarpaulin sheets for shelter as the drizzle continued till late afternoon.

    Scores of farmers belonging to the Bhanu and Lok Shakti factions of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) are staying put at the Chilla border and the Dalit Prerna Sthal respectively for over a month now.

    Despite the adverse weather conditions and a continued impasse with the government over the three new laws and the issue of legalisation of the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, the farmers said their protest will continue till the Centre repeals these legislations.

    “Some of our tents collapsed due to the rain and the low temperatures also made it difficult for the protesters to sit under the open sky. Many of us took refuge under the structures at the Dalit Prerna Sthal, while tarpaulin sheets were used by others to stay put,” BKU (Lok Shakti) spokesperson Shailesh Kumar Giri said.

    The situation was similar at the Chilla border, but the Uttar Pradesh unit chief of the BKU (Bhanu), Yogesh Pratap Singh, said his union’s “fight” will continue till their demands are met.

    Meanwhile, the teachers’ association of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Agra and the “Kisan Adhikar – Yuva Rozgaar” association lent their support to the BKU (Lok Shakti) as hundreds of members of these bodies reached the protest site on Sunday.

    The Bhanu and Lok Shakti factions of the BKU are not part of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 farmers’ unions that is leading the charge at Delhi’s border points in Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur, but have extended their support to the cause.

    A senior police official said the Noida-Delhi Link Road via Chilla continued to remain partially closed for commuters due to the agitation, though there is no law-and-order situation.

    Thousands of farmers are staying put at Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in protest against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

    They have expressed the apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the MSP system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations.

    However, the government has been maintaining that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture.