Demands Paddy Procurement at ₹3,012/q, Sugarcane at ₹500/q, Cotton at ₹10,121/q
NEW DELHI — The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a broad coalition of farmers’ organisations across India, on Monday announced a nationwide agitation over a host of unresolved issues — including the demand for a legal guarantee on MSP, rising indebtedness, forcible land acquisition, black marketing of fertilizers, denial of MGNREGS work and wages, non-payment of compensation to flood victims, and the imposition of prepaid electricity meters. The group blamed the Modi government for what it called a “severe failure” to address farmers’ distress.
The SKM pointed out that the Union Government fixed the MSP for paddy at ₹2,369 per quintal for 2024–25 (calculated as A2+FL+50%). However, farmers across several states are being forced into distress sales because the government has failed to ensure procurement at the declared prices.
In Uttar Pradesh, paddy is currently selling at ₹1,500–1,600 per quintal — nearly ₹800 less than the official MSP. While the state produces about 300 lakh metric tonnes of paddy, only 60 lakh metric tonnes (around 20%) have been procured so far. According to SKM, most of this procurement is done through middlemen and politically connected mafias, while only a fraction reaches farmers directly. Reports of corruption at procurement centres, particularly in Karnal and Kurukshetra in Haryana, have further deepened concerns.
The SKM also noted that the government’s MSP of ₹2,369 is ₹700 lower than the rate based on the Swaminathan Commission’s C2+50% formula, which would be ₹3,012 per quintal. In many areas of Bihar and Jharkhand, farmers are being forced to sell at ₹1,200–1,400 per quintal. Even in Haryana, where APMC mandis function, farmers receive ₹1,900–2,000 per quintal — about ₹400 less due to deductions on moisture content. Farmers are demanding the permissible moisture limit be raised from 17% to 22%.
The SKM accused the government of ignoring the plight of Basmati and Ram Bhog paddy growers despite high domestic and international prices. It demanded that the MSP for Basmati be fixed at ₹5,000 per quintal and a proper procurement mechanism established.
Similarly, moong farmers are reportedly receiving only ₹4,000 per quintal against the MSP of ₹8,768, while cotton farmers are forced to sell at ₹5,500–6,000 despite an MSP of ₹7,710 per quintal.
On sugarcane, the SKM highlighted that Uttar Pradesh’s State Advised Price (SAP) was ₹325 per quintal in 2017–18 and has increased only to ₹370 in 2023–24 — a rise of just ₹55 in nine years despite soaring input costs. It demanded that the SAP be increased to ₹500 per quintal and that sugar mills clear all arrears, estimated at ₹3,500 crore, with interest.
The Morcha also alleged rampant black marketing and overpricing of fertilizers, with urea bags meant to be sold at ₹270 being hawked for ₹700. It called for strict action to ensure regular fertilizer supply, halt black marketing, and stop forcing farmers to buy Nano Urea, Nano DAP, and Zinc.
The SKM also opposed the imposition of prepaid smart meters and privatisation of the power sector. It demanded the withdrawal of the Electricity Bill 2025 and provision of 300 units of free electricity per month to farmers.
On MGNREGS, SKM said that the average number of workdays provided stood at just 47 against the 100 days guaranteed under the Act, with an average daily wage of ₹284 — far below state minimum wages. It demanded the linkage of agriculture and dairy work with MGNREGS, an increase to 200 days of guaranteed work at ₹700 per day, and the enactment of an Urban Employment Guarantee law.
The organisation further accused Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs) of exploiting poor households through exorbitant interest rates and coercive recovery tactics, including reported abductions of poor women. It demanded that the government provide interest-free loans to the poor, regulate MFIs, and enact strict anti-exploitation laws.
Finally, SKM called upon all state coordination committees to support farmers and agricultural workers, intensify local agitations, and submit memoranda to district collectors. It warned that if the government fails to respond, the movement will escalate into large-scale, sustained protests until all demands are met.
