MSP hike too little, too late: Farmer leaders

Farmers union leaders said the increase in MSP announced by the Center on Wednesday for Kharif season crops was too little and too late. The government raised the minimum support price for paddy by Rs 72 per quintal to Rs 1,940 for the 2021-22 crop year, while rates for pulses, oilseeds and cereals were substantially increased. Among commercial crops, the MSP of cotton was increased from Rs 211 per quintal to Rs 5,726 for medium-headed variety and Rs 200 per quintal for long-headed variety to Rs 6,025 for the 2021-22 crop year (July-). June). Paddy is the main Kharif crop, the sowing of which has started with the onset of southwest monsoon. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that the hike in MSP would increase the income of farmers and improve their standard of living, Farm union leaders stated that the increase in rates was not in accordance with the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission (2006) and the Ramesh Chand Committee (2015). “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, in Punjab and Haryana declaring MSP after cotton sowing is over is of no relevance now. Had it been announced before the cotton sowing starts in April, more farmers could have opted for the cotton crop,” said Jagmohan Singh, general secretary BKU (Dakunda). He said the rates announced by the Center would be relevant only if the government would procure all the crops at the declared MSP and private companies would offer at the same or higher rates. Jugraj Singh, a maize farmer from Jalandhar, said, “Farmers got Rs 900 to Rs 1100 per quintal for maize as against the MSP of Rs 1,850 announced by the government last year. Now the MSP of maize has been increased by Rs 20 per quintal. Why would farmers choose a crop that has no fixed market and low MSP? Jagmohan Singh said, “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 that the government is ignoring.” BKU Ugrahan general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokriklan said