Rajasthan Farmers Hit Hard: Moong MSP Rs 8,768, Traders Pay Rs 5,881
THE All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), in a statement issued on September 24, has strongly opposed the ongoing purchase of moong from farmers by traders in Ganganagar district of Rajasthan at throwaway prices, and demands that the government immediately begin procurement of moong at the declared Minimum Support Price (MSP).
It has come to light that in the Ganganagar grain market alone, by September this month, as much as 17,901 quintals of moong has arrived. Farmers were forced to sell at low prices to traders since there was no government procurement. It is known that the central government has declared an MSP of Rs 8,768 per quintal of moong for this season. However, due to the government not starting procurement at MSP, traders have compelled farmers to sell moong at only Rs 5,881 per quintal. This has caused farmers a loss of nearly Rs 3,000 per quintal. Estimates suggest that in Ganganagar’s grain market alone, farmers have already suffered a loss of more than Rs 5 crore.
Despite continuous agitations by farmers demanding MSP, the fact remains that in our country, 90 per cent of farmers do not get MSP for their produce. For those crops where MSP is announced, due to the absence of systematic arrangements and timely government procurement, farmers are compelled to sell below MSP. Moreover, excuses such as crop quality and grading standards are used to deny them MSP. What is happening in the procurement of moong in Rajasthan right now is a clear example of this.
The All India Kisan Sabha calls upon farmers to rise in struggle to ensure procurement of moong at MSP, and demands from the central government that procurement of moong at the declared MSP be started immediately.
