Basmati growers dump crop in front of Amritsar DC office, allege private firms are paying lesser rates than last year
Farmer activists alleged that private companies are exploiting Basmati farmers by purchasing crops at prices significantly lower than last year’s rates.
Farmers staging their protest outside DC office, Amritsar. (Express Photo) Members of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee staged a protest on Saturday by dumping their Basmati crop on the roads and around the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Amritsar.
Farmer activists alleged that private companies are exploiting Basmati farmers by purchasing crops at prices significantly lower than last year’s rates. In response, they dumped the Basmati crops as a symbol of protest against the unfair pricing and raised slogans against the government.
“We are dumping Basmati because we are not receiving the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for our crops. Farmers are demanding a law that guarantees MSP for all crops. This demand has intensified due to the severe exploitation of Basmati varieties 1509 and 1692 in the markets this season,” said Sarwan Singh Pandher, state leader of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee Punjab.
Members of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee dumping their Basmati crop on the roads on Saturday. (Express Photo)
Pandher, along with district leader Mangjeet Singh Sidhwan, criticized the ongoing exploitation of farmers by private players. “The current attempt to mislead farmers by promoting the connection between agriculture and market economy as beneficial has been exposed. Private players are purchasing Basmati at half its price, leaving farmers at a massive loss. Currently, the price of Basmati ranges between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,400, compared to last year’s price of Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,000. This has resulted in a direct loss of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per acre for each farmer. While producers are forced to sell at low prices, consumers will still be paying high prices for Basmati rice in the market,” Pandher said.
armers are demanding a law that guarantees MSP for all crops. (Express Photo)
He further claimed, “The Punjab government had earlier assured that if the price of Basmati dropped below Rs 3,200, it would compensate for the difference. However, the government has remained silent in the current situation. The central government should stop exploiting the people of Punjab, especially when Basmati is fetching full prices in the international market. Why is Punjab’s Basmati being unfairly targeted? The Punjab government must immediately intervene and provide the promised support to farmers.”
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