Centre proposes five-year plan to buy five crops at MSP, farmers to decide today

Chandigarh: In the fourth round of meetings between farmer leaders and three Union ministers in Chandigarh on Sunday regarding the legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, the central government agreed to extend MSP coverage to four additional crops.

The government proposed 5-year plan to buy pulses, maize, and cotton crops by by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI).

Farmer leaders in attendance expressed their intent to consult with various organizations and provide a final decision by Monday. Following the nearly five-hour discussion, Union Minister Piyush Goyal briefed reporters, describing the fourth round of talks as very positive.

“Diversification of crops is essential to mitigate the declining groundwater levels in Punjab and Haryana. Recognizing this, the government has taken proactive steps, with most farmers agreeing in principle,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who participated in the meeting, emphasized the significance of crop diversification, contingent upon the government ensuring MSP for alternative crops. “Upon receiving a response from farmer unions on the Centre’s proposal, other crops can also be brought under this initiative,” he added.

In earlier discussions, farmer organizations reiterated their demand for the Center to enact an ordinance guaranteeing MSP legally, stating that they would not settle for anything less. Union ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal, and Nityanand Rai, along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Agriculture Minister Gurmit Singh Khuddian, attended the meeting, which commenced nearly two hours behind schedule.