NEW DELHI: On Friday, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured that the government would purchase all marketable surplus produce of farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). This statement indicates that the procurement will extend beyond staple crops like paddy and wheat to include a broader range of farm produce, for which MSPs are announced.
Chouhan’s remarks followed a statement from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who took to social media to demand that the government immediately meet all farmers’ demands, including enacting a legal guarantee for MSP. The Congress party later urged the Prime Minister to invite farmers for talks.
Reaffirming his government’s commitment, Chouhan emphasized that the government would continue to fix MSPs at more than 50% of the production cost and ensure that farmers’ produce is procured. His comments came during the Rajya Sabha’s Question Hour, in response to supplementary questions on MSP for farmers.
Currently, the government announces MSPs for 22 crops and a Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane. However, procurement primarily occurs for a limited number of crops, such as paddy, wheat, cotton, and sugarcane, while procurement for other crops like pulses and oilseeds is less robust.
Chouhan contrasted the current government’s approach with the previous Congress-led UPA government, stating, “You did not purchase farmers’ produce. We will purchase it and set higher MSPs… Under Congress, farmers shed tears, but for me, ‘kisan ki seva’ (service to farmers) is like ‘bhagwan ki pooja’ (worship of God).”
Congress’s Jairam Ramesh reminded the house that Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, at a recent ceremony marking ICAR-CIRCOT’s centenary in Mumbai, had raised questions about promises made to farmers. However, Dhankhar, on Friday, praised Chouhan’s commitment to farmer welfare, calling him “Kisano Ke Ladle” (Brother of Farmers), a nod to the minister’s reputation for caring for both farmers and women. Dhankhar expressed confidence in Chouhan’s ability to fulfill his responsibilities, saying, “From today, I have given you a new name – Kisano Ke Ladle.”
