Chandigarh Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday called for a scientific approach to fix the minimum support price for all crops.
He also claimed that the marginal increase in paddy MSP of Rs 117 per quintal did not take into account the overall cost plus 50 per cent profit as mandated by the Swaminathan Commission.
The Center on Wednesday raised the MSP for 14 crops. The MSP of paddy has been increased by 5.35 per cent to Rs 2,300 per quintal for the 2024-25 kharif marketing season.
SAD chief Badal said though the MSP of both moong and maize have been increased, there is no mechanism to procure these crops at the MSP.
"Farmers in Punjab as well as other parts of the country have been left at the mercy of private players as the union government does not purchase these crops at the MSP," he said in a statement.
In the case of Punjab, farmers suffered huge losses after sowing moong on a large scale, relying on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's promise to acquire MSP, which the government later failed to fulfill, he said.
Talking about the increase in MSP for rice, Badal said, "The entire process of comprehensive costing (C-2), including the imputed cost of land and its rental value, should be in the public domain."
“Farmers rightly feel that they are being shortchanged and if the C-2 cost is not calculated accurately, they will not get the justified MSP as the 50 per cent profit has to be calculated on the C- figure. 2," Badal said.
The SAD supremo advocated that a committee be formed to calculate C-2 plus 50 per cent profit for the 14 Kharif crops and that this committee should include farmers' representatives.
Meanwhile, Punjab's ruling party, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), lashed out at the BJP-led Centre, accusing it of staging a "drama" for being pro-farmer.
If the BJP is really concerned about the country's farmers, it should bring in an MSP guarantee law as per the farmers' demand, said AAP leader Harsukhinder Singh Babbi Badal.
The cost of farming has increased by around 70 per cent in the last few years and the Modi government is patting itself on the back by increasing the MSP by just 7 per cent, he said.
He said only 13 per cent of crops are purchased at MSP in the country.
Badal pointed out that in many states crops are not purchased at the MSP. Therefore, this MSP increase is “too little, too late”.
He said a small increase in MSP cannot lift farmers out of the economic crisis.
"Farmers in the country can only be prosperous when they are paid crop prices at 'C2 plus 50' per cent, according to the Swaminathan Commission report. Apart from this, farmers should be given separate financial incentives for diversification of crops." crops." he said.
He also claimed that the marginal increase in paddy MSP of Rs 117 per quintal did not take into account the overall cost plus 50 per cent profit as mandated by the Swaminathan Commission.
The Center on Wednesday raised the MSP for 14 crops. The MSP of paddy has been increased by 5.35 per cent to Rs 2,300 per quintal for the 2024-25 kharif marketing season.
SAD chief Badal said though the MSP of both moong and maize have been increased, there is no mechanism to procure these crops at the MSP.
"Farmers in Punjab as well as other parts of the country have been left at the mercy of private players as the union government does not purchase these crops at the MSP," he said in a statement.
In the case of Punjab, farmers suffered huge losses after sowing moong on a large scale, relying on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's promise to acquire MSP, which the government later failed to fulfill, he said.
Talking about the increase in MSP for rice, Badal said, "The entire process of comprehensive costing (C-2), including the imputed cost of land and its rental value, should be in the public domain."
“Farmers rightly feel that they are being shortchanged and if the C-2 cost is not calculated accurately, they will not get the justified MSP as the 50 per cent profit has to be calculated on the C- figure. 2," Badal said.
The SAD supremo advocated that a committee be formed to calculate C-2 plus 50 per cent profit for the 14 Kharif crops and that this committee should include farmers' representatives.
Meanwhile, Punjab's ruling party, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), lashed out at the BJP-led Centre, accusing it of staging a "drama" for being pro-farmer.
If the BJP is really concerned about the country's farmers, it should bring in an MSP guarantee law as per the farmers' demand, said AAP leader Harsukhinder Singh Babbi Badal.
The cost of farming has increased by around 70 per cent in the last few years and the Modi government is patting itself on the back by increasing the MSP by just 7 per cent, he said.
He said only 13 per cent of crops are purchased at MSP in the country.
Badal pointed out that in many states crops are not purchased at the MSP. Therefore, this MSP increase is “too little, too late”.
He said a small increase in MSP cannot lift farmers out of the economic crisis.
"Farmers in the country can only be prosperous when they are paid crop prices at 'C2 plus 50' per cent, according to the Swaminathan Commission report. Apart from this, farmers should be given separate financial incentives for diversification of crops." crops." he said.
