Patwari demands MSP for tomatoes as crop rots in fields amid prices crash
Chief minister Mohan Yadav
made a firm decision on Friday that farmers booked for stubble burning will not be paid the Chief Minister's Kisan Kalyan Scheme annual bonus of Rs 6,000 and neither will the govt buy their crops at minimum support price (MSP). As the govt hardened its stand against stubble burning, state Congress president
Jitu Patwari
said that the govt should provide immediate relief to farmers and stop testing their patience.
Patwari said that tomato producing farmers are facing a major crisis as prices have fallen to Rs 3 to Rs 4 per kg. "Tomato producing farmers in Chhatarpur are going through a crisis. The price of tomato has fallen to Rs 3 and 4 per kg, due to which farmers are not being able to cover their cost of production. They have stopped irrigation and are now letting the ripe crop rot in the fields or feeding it to cattle. If the government investigates honestly, such a situation can also happen in many districts of Malwa, Nimar and Bundelkhand regions," the state Congress president said.
He argued that this situation is not due to any natural disaster but is the result of govt indifference and policy failure. "The farmers of Chhatarpur are alive today, but their hope is dying. It is unfair that the hard-earned crop is getting destroyed and the govt remains silent. The farmer is not a beggar, he is the country's food provider. The govt will have to intervene immediately," Patwari said in a statement on Friday.
Farmers grow tomatoes every year in many districts including Tikamgarh, Panna, Niwari, Damoh, Ratlam, Mandsaur and Dhar but they do not get the right market, fair price and protection, Patwari argued. "Due to lack of processing units, farmers have to sell their produce at cheap rates or destroy it. What is worrying is that the govt has neither a policy nor any price control system," the state Congress president said.
Patwari demanded that the BJP govt announce minimum support price (MSP) for tomato and vegetable producers as well. He said that govt procurement centres should be opened in every district, where farmers' produce can be purchased at the minimum price.
He also demanded an immediate relief package for affected farmers and compensation payments for losses incurred. "Farmers' hopes should be strengthened by setting up processing units, cold storage and food parks," Jitu Patwari said. "Long-term agricultural policy should be implemented for vegetable producing farmers in the state, so that they do not have to face the crisis of market and price every year," he added.
Patwari claimed that not only tomato producers, but wheat, paddy and soybean farmers are also facing a crisis in the state. "Due to delays and technical glitches in govt procurement of wheat every year, farmers are forced to sell wheat at throwaway prices in the open market. Corruption, lack of weighing machines and interference of middlemen are common in the purchase of paddy. The market price of soybean is consistently lower than the MSP, and bonus schemes are also incomplete" Patwari maintained. "The chief minister should specify when MSP of Rs 2700 for wheat, Rs 3100 for paddy and Rs 6000 per quintal for soybean will be implemented as was promised in the BJP assembly election manifesto," he said.
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