'MSP law could be the way to end the deadlock in the farmers' movement'

The President of the Indian Chambers of Food and Agriculture, MJ Khan says that it is possible for the government to ensure compulsory procurement on MSP and it is only a matter of political will.

New Delhi: The President of the Indian Chambers of Food and Agriculture, MJ Khan says that it is possible for the government to ensure compulsory procurement on MSP and it is only a matter of political will.

"Currently, the government has declared MSP on 23 crops. The task of determining the MSP is done by the government's Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) committee. But, unfortunately, farmers have to sell at less than the minimum price fixed by the government committee," Khan said.

He further added that today if only 6% of the farmers can take advantage of MSP, it means that the remaining 94% of the farmers are forced to sell their produce at a price below minimum. In such a situation, this demand of the farmers is justified and to reduce the growing discontent among them, the government should accept this demand as it is possible to do so.

But the problem is that farmers are not ready to accept law only on MSP. They are also demanding the repeal of three agricultural laws. In such a situation, the deadlock does not end even if the government goes one step ahead on the MSP.

MJ Khan believes that farmers also need to be flexible. "The government is ready to make changes to the provisions that cause problems in the three agricultural laws. In such a situation, the farmers should take advantage of the provisions in these agrarian reform laws that are in their favour," he said.

Meanwhile, the United Kisan Morcha reiterated its demand once again on Friday, saying that the government is testing the patience of farmers by not repealing the three agricultural laws. The farmers will not give up so soon and the work has been started to improve the arrangements for the protesters in the coming days on the Delhi borders.