New Delhi: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Friday accused the Center of mocking farmers by announcing an increase in MSP that is only five to seven per cent more than what was declared last year.
Addressing a virtual press conference, SKM leaders said the increase is nowhere near the minimum support price (MSP) demanded in C2 plus the 50 per cent formula given by the MS Swaminathan Committee.
The SKM also accused the BJP of cheating farmers to help corporates.
"The MSP increase declared by the BJP government for 14 crops is only 5-7 per cent higher than last year. It is a complete mockery of the promise of giving MSP at C2+50 per cent," they said. the SKM leaders in a statement issued to the press. conference.
"The increase does not even keep pace with food price inflation in the market. While annual retail inflation is around 5 percent, food price inflation is 7.9 percent and vegetable prices are increasing by more than 10 percent," said the SKM, an umbrella organization of farmers' unions.
They also said that no announcement has been made regarding guaranteed purchase of vegetable mandis, even at the indicated prices.
"Unless the government institutes some mechanism to guarantee prices in the mandis, farmers are fleeced and it is the middlemen who benefit from the expensive food items in the market," they said.
"The BJP has been notorious for flouting the farmers' demand for increasing MSP for all crops as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. Although it has recently given Bharat Ratna to Dr Swaminathan, it is grossly manipulating the figures to grossly understate the price," he said. SKM said.
The SKM said the declared MSP for rice of Rs 2,300 per quintal is almost equal to the actual cost of production as per estimates made by various states and studies by agricultural universities.
Farmer leaders also said that the problem stems from the terms used by the Agricultural Costs and Prices Commission, which fixes the MSP.
"The CACP has averaged the C2 cost of rice in 2023-24 at Rs 1,911, which is a much lower estimate. Even this value, with a nominal inflation rate of 7 per cent for this kharif season, the C2 cost will be 2,044 rupees and 1.5 times will be 3,066 rupees," the statement said.
"Therefore, the actual MSP should be at least Rs 3,100 to Rs 3,450 (for rice)," he added.
The leaders said that the MSP for jowar has been increased by Rs 191, which is an increase of 5.66 per cent, while for Bajra, it is an increase of Rs 125 from Rs 2,625, or 4.76 per cent. hundred. Likewise, the increase in the price of Ragi is Rs 444 (10.34 percent), Maize is Rs 135 (6.6 percent), Arhar is Rs 550 (7.28 percent), Moong is 124 rupees (1.42 per cent), among others.
They said when they compared the C2 price of 14 crops with the C2 estimates of crops by state governments and multiplied it by 1.5, they found that for every quintal of produce, farmers will lose up to Rs 2,224 in cotton, Rs 2,296 in Niger . and Rs 2,961 in sesame.
The calculation results also showed that a loss of Rs 2,611 would be incurred on sunflower, Rs 2,344 on urad, Rs 2,274 on moong, Rs 2,206 on arhar, Rs 1,713 on groundnut, Rs 1,555 on soyabean, Rs 1,066. rupees in jowar and Rs 712 in rice and similar other crops.
The SKM accused the BJP of cheating farmers to help corporates.
"Though the BJP itself had promised an MSP of Rs 3,100 per quintal for rice in Odisha during the state elections and a similar amount last year during the Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh elections, it has now recommended Rs 2,300," the statement said.
"He also brazenly claims that the Prime Minister is giving importance to farmers. This is only to help big foreign exploiting corporations and multinationals who are putting down roots in Indian agricultural markets for cheaper produce," he added.
The government on Wednesday increased the MSP of paddy by 5.35 per cent to Rs 2,300 per quintal for the 2024-25 kharif marketing season, a move that comes ahead of the key state assembly elections.
The increase in MSP on the 14 kharif (summer) crops is the first major decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term.
Addressing a virtual press conference, SKM leaders said the increase is nowhere near the minimum support price (MSP) demanded in C2 plus the 50 per cent formula given by the MS Swaminathan Committee.
The SKM also accused the BJP of cheating farmers to help corporates.
"The MSP increase declared by the BJP government for 14 crops is only 5-7 per cent higher than last year. It is a complete mockery of the promise of giving MSP at C2+50 per cent," they said. the SKM leaders in a statement issued to the press. conference.
"The increase does not even keep pace with food price inflation in the market. While annual retail inflation is around 5 percent, food price inflation is 7.9 percent and vegetable prices are increasing by more than 10 percent," said the SKM, an umbrella organization of farmers' unions.
They also said that no announcement has been made regarding guaranteed purchase of vegetable mandis, even at the indicated prices.
"Unless the government institutes some mechanism to guarantee prices in the mandis, farmers are fleeced and it is the middlemen who benefit from the expensive food items in the market," they said.
"The BJP has been notorious for flouting the farmers' demand for increasing MSP for all crops as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. Although it has recently given Bharat Ratna to Dr Swaminathan, it is grossly manipulating the figures to grossly understate the price," he said. SKM said.
The SKM said the declared MSP for rice of Rs 2,300 per quintal is almost equal to the actual cost of production as per estimates made by various states and studies by agricultural universities.
Farmer leaders also said that the problem stems from the terms used by the Agricultural Costs and Prices Commission, which fixes the MSP.
"The CACP has averaged the C2 cost of rice in 2023-24 at Rs 1,911, which is a much lower estimate. Even this value, with a nominal inflation rate of 7 per cent for this kharif season, the C2 cost will be 2,044 rupees and 1.5 times will be 3,066 rupees," the statement said.
"Therefore, the actual MSP should be at least Rs 3,100 to Rs 3,450 (for rice)," he added.
The leaders said that the MSP for jowar has been increased by Rs 191, which is an increase of 5.66 per cent, while for Bajra, it is an increase of Rs 125 from Rs 2,625, or 4.76 per cent. hundred. Likewise, the increase in the price of Ragi is Rs 444 (10.34 percent), Maize is Rs 135 (6.6 percent), Arhar is Rs 550 (7.28 percent), Moong is 124 rupees (1.42 per cent), among others.
They said when they compared the C2 price of 14 crops with the C2 estimates of crops by state governments and multiplied it by 1.5, they found that for every quintal of produce, farmers will lose up to Rs 2,224 in cotton, Rs 2,296 in Niger . and Rs 2,961 in sesame.
The calculation results also showed that a loss of Rs 2,611 would be incurred on sunflower, Rs 2,344 on urad, Rs 2,274 on moong, Rs 2,206 on arhar, Rs 1,713 on groundnut, Rs 1,555 on soyabean, Rs 1,066. rupees in jowar and Rs 712 in rice and similar other crops.
The SKM accused the BJP of cheating farmers to help corporates.
"Though the BJP itself had promised an MSP of Rs 3,100 per quintal for rice in Odisha during the state elections and a similar amount last year during the Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh elections, it has now recommended Rs 2,300," the statement said.
"He also brazenly claims that the Prime Minister is giving importance to farmers. This is only to help big foreign exploiting corporations and multinationals who are putting down roots in Indian agricultural markets for cheaper produce," he added.
The government on Wednesday increased the MSP of paddy by 5.35 per cent to Rs 2,300 per quintal for the 2024-25 kharif marketing season, a move that comes ahead of the key state assembly elections.
The increase in MSP on the 14 kharif (summer) crops is the first major decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term.
