New Delhi: In an attempt to check how "farmers are being looted" by a continuous denial of Minimum Support Price to farmers, Yogendra Yadav-led Swaraj Abhiyan in collaboration with hundreds of farmer rights groups launched a "MSP Satyagraha" on Wednesday.
Citing official figures by APMCs on AGARMARKET, Yadav claimed that crops like Bengal Gram, mustard seeds and lentils (masur) are some of the first produces of 2018 and have now started coming to the Mandis where farmers are bearing a loss from anywhere between Rs 1,000 per quintal of Chana to Rs 500 per quintal of mustard seeds.
"In the first few weeks of this marketing season, the prices of Bengal Gram (Channa) have fallen substantially below the MSP of Rs 4,400. The official Agmarknet data for the first week of March shows that the average modal price of Channa is anywhere between Rs. 800 to 1000 below the MSP , also substantially below the prices last year . Sadly much of this loss was avoidable as the Government knew about greater sowing acreage and expected a bumper crop of Bengal Gram. Despite this, the Government allowed substantial quantity of Bengal Gram to be imported," said Yadav.
Jai Kisan Andolan of Swaraj Abhiyan along with All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee and Kisan Sangharsh Samiti said that the "price situation of other crops was also a cause for concern."
"Rapeseed oil has also started arriving and is selling around 3,500 against the MSP of Rs 4000 (MSP 3,900 plus bonus of Rs 100). Lentil (Masur) is selling between Rs. 3,200 to 3,800 against the MSP of 4,250," said the movement organisers.
Yadav lashed out at the government for falsely presenting the 2018 budget as a farmer friendly budget as he did not promise a 50% rise over the comprehensive C2 cost of production but it was on the "partial cost known as A2 + FL."
Now, the farmer rights groups have decided to undertake a Mandi by Mandi tour all across India whereby an attempt would be made to make farmers aware of the modus operandi at play which robs them off their minimum support price.
The first schedule of the movement would start from Yadgir (Karnataka) on March 14 and would then travel to Kurnool (Andhra), Tandur (Telangana), Sri Ganganagar (Rajasthan), Rewari (Haryana) and finally culminate in Rudrapur (Uttarakhand).
Yadav claimed that an analysis has revealed that farmers suffered a loss of 32 thousand crores in 2017-18 due to denial of MSPs.
"An analysis of the marketing season of Kharif crop 2017-18 had demonstrated that the farmers were forced to sell much below MSP and had incurred a total loss of at least Rs.32, 702 crores. It may be kept in mind that traditionally farmers losses are lower in Rabi marketing season than during Kharif marketing season," said Yadav.
It was also alleged that the government had stated during the budget presentation that NITI Aayog would be involved to draw up a scheme so that proper MSP implementation happens across states, but "conversations with NITI Aayog chief has not shown any development on the front as yet."
"So far, the state response has not been up to the mark. Maharashtra has announced procurement of just 4 lakh tonnes against an estimated arrival of 19 Lakh Tonne chana. MP's Bhavantar Yojna has run into difficulties. So far we know little about special measures that the Niti Ayog was to evolve to support the farmers," Yadav told News18.
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