Samyukt Kisan Morcha Demands White Paper on MSP and Procurement System , says MSP@ A2+FL+50% is 30% less than MSP@C2+50% for Paddy, Rejects Parliamentary Committee Recommendation on MSP, says 90% of Crops Not Procured across India Based on Current MSP
SKM demands Union Agriculture Minister Shivaraj Singh Chauhan to stop misleading people and reveal the difference between MSP @A2+FL+50% and @C2+50% through a White Paper. As far as the Paddy is concerned the present MSP of Rs.2300/Qtl is 30% less than the rate based on C2+50% calculation that comes up to Rs.3012/Qtl, means farmers are suffering loss of Rs.712/Qtl.
As the average productivity of Paddy in India is considered at 2390kg per hectare, a farmer with one hectare land is losing Rs.17016 per one crop, leading to inadequate income and widespread indebtedness. But the NDA3 Government is not ready to accept the recommendation of MSP@C2+50% of the National Farmers Commission headed by Dr.MS Swaminathan. The calculation statement annexed reveals the difference in A2+FL+50% and C2+50% for 14 crops, hence the loss suffered by the farmers across India.
The Ministers’ claim in the virtual review meeting on 4th January 2025 with the Agricultural Ministers of the States /UTs that ‘whatever wheat and rice comes, arrangements are made to buy it at MSP” is factually incorrect. Only below 10% of the crops are procured as of now and the farmers are forced to sell the remaining 90% of the produce at a rate below the MSP@A2+FL+50% declared by the CACP is the reality.
The recommendation in the 1st Report (Eighteenth Lok Sabha) of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing (2024-25) headed by Charnjit Singh Channi MP dated 17th December 2021 is not acceptable for the farmers of India since it has not recommended C2+50% criteria. Thus, the Parliamentary Committee has deceived the farmers.
As per recommendation No.7 “The committee observed that the implementation of MSP remains a focal point in the dialogue surrounding agricultural reform and farmers’ welfare in India. Since the Committee believe that implementing a robust and legally binding MSP in the country could play a crucial role in reducing farmer suicides in India by providing financial stability, protecting against market volatility &alleviating debt burdens, they recommended implementation of the same.”
However, the same committee has recommended “to introduce a scheme to waive off debt of Farmers and Farm Labourers in view of the rising Framers debt & suicides linked to farm distress” and “a National Commission for Minimum Living Wages for Farm Labourers may be established at the earliest to provide long due rights to Farm Labourers” and SKM appreciates it.
Press Release 8th January, 2024, New Delhi