Farmers union leaders stated the rise in MSP introduced by the Center on Wednesday for Kharif season crops was too little and too late.
The authorities raised the minimal assist value for paddy by Rs 72 per quintal to Rs 1,940 for the 2021-22 crop 12 months, whereas charges for pulses, oilseeds and cereals had been considerably elevated.
Among industrial crops, the MSP of cotton was elevated from Rs 211 per quintal to Rs 5,726 for medium-headed selection and Rs 200 per quintal for long-headed selection to Rs 6,025 for the 2021-22 crop 12 months (July-). June).
Paddy is the primary Kharif crop, the sowing of which has began with the onset of southwest monsoon.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that the hike in MSP would enhance farmers’ earnings and enhance their way of life, farm union leaders stated the speed hike was in keeping with the suggestions of the MS Swaminathan Commission (2006) and the Ramesh Chand Committee (2015). was not in accordance.
“While the MSP for paddy has been increased by 3.8 per cent, maize and cotton, which are alternative crops to paddy in the light of much needed diversification in Punjab and Haryana, have been increased by 1.1 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively. cents (3.4% for medium staple and long staple cotton, respectively). Also, declaring MSP is of no relevance now when cotton sowing is over in Punjab and Haryana. Had it been announced before the cotton sowing starts in April, more farmers could have opted for the cotton crop,” stated Jagmohan Singh, normal secretary BKU (Dakunda).
He stated the charges introduced by the Center can be related provided that the federal government would procure all of the crops on the declared MSP and personal firms would supply on the identical or greater charges.
Jugraj Singh, a maize farmer from Jalandhar, stated, “Farmers received Rs 900 to Rs 1100 per quintal for maize as towards the MSP of Rs 1,850 introduced by the federal government final 12 months. Now the MSP of maize has been elevated by Rs 20 per quintal. Why would farmers select a crop that has no mounted market and low MSP?
Jagmohan Singh stated, “We are concerned about the depleting groundwater in Punjab and want to diversify the paddy area to other crops, but there is a need for an assured market which the government is ignoring.”
Sukhdev Singh Kokriklan, normal secretary of BKU Ugrahan, stated the hike in MSP is nothing in comparison with the rise within the costs of diesel, fertilizers and pesticides within the final one 12 months. He stated that final 12 months when the cotton costs got here a lot beneath the MSP, the Cotton Corporation of India entered the market and after a while, non-public gamers began providing Rs 50-100 per quintal above the MSP.
SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal additionally stated that the rise in MSP introduced by the Center for paddy is just not solely inadequate but additionally a “regressive step” that can take agriculture again as a substitute of doubling farm earnings by 2022. He stated the “marginal increase” is just not sufficient to cowl the rise in the price of agricultural inputs reminiscent of diesel and fertilisers. “One and a half times the income formula should be applied on the actual cost of production including rent and interest left by the farmers on the land and machinery,” he stated.
“The method through which the MSP has been calculated additionally highlights the apathetic angle of the federal government in the direction of farmers. MSP needs to be elevated maintaining in view the precise price of manufacturing.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
