The farmers have been saying that they are selling the produce at Rs 4,000 per quintal to private buyers against the MSP of Rs 6,400.
(Photo: ANI)
Farmers demanded the state government should withdraw its decision not to procure sunflower seeds on MSP and induct the crop under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana
Hundreds of farmers on Tuesday blocked National Highway-44 in Haryana’s Kurukshetra, demanding procurement of sunflower seed on the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Police officials have reached the spot in Shahabad and diverted traffic. The protest was led by Haryana BKU (Chaduni) chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni.
Farmers demanded the state government should withdraw its decision not to procure sunflower seeds on the MSP and induct the crop under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana.
Addressing the farmers at the protest site, Chaduni said the government should immediately begin the procurement process at the MSP of Rs 6,400 per quintal.
“At our meetings with government representatives, we had made it clear to them that the growers will not accept anything less than the MSP. We were assured that the sunflower crop will not be procured under the government’s Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana,” he told the media at the protest site.
Agitated over the government’s decision by inducting the crop under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana, sunflower farmers had previously given an ultimatum to the government till this day (June 6) to withdraw the decision and begin procurement on the MSP.
Earlier, a farmers’ delegation led by Chaduni had met state education minister Kanwar Pal in Chandigarh, who assured them that he would apprise the Chief Minister on their demand.
The BJP-led state government had decided to stop the procurement of sunflower seed on the MSP and to procure it under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana at the rate of Rs 1,000 per quintal.
The farmers have been saying that they are selling the produce at Rs 4,000 per quintal to private buyers against the MSP of Rs 6,400.
(With IANS inputs)
