As the debate surrounding the review of open-ended procurement policy has started gaining momentum, following a recommendation by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Price (CACP) to the Centre government, several farmers and farmers’ bodies in Punjab and Haryana have hinted that any move to stop or limit it would be opposed and resisted.
Agri-experts also believe that the current open-ended procurement policy is in the best interest of the country and farmers and any deviation could have negative impact on farmers.
‘Mounting stocks’
“The CACP has given its recommendation in the backdrop of mounting food stocks, which raises the fear that the Centre would limit procurement as a first step towards putting an end to the MSP purchase,” said Jagmohan Singh, State General Secretary of Bhartiya Kisan Union Ekta (Dakaunda).
“Any move to stop or limit the purchase of wheat and rice at MSP by the government would be opposed and resisted in the strongest possible manner,” he said.
Expressing similar sentiments Sarvan Singh Pandher, general secretary of the Punjab unit of Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Smiti, said “farmers in Punjab and Haryana are managing to survive only because wheat and paddy here are purchased at the MSP, if this process is stopped or even limited it would be nothing short of signing their death warrant.”
“Government should be ready to face agitation if the open ended procurement policy is changed in a manner, which is detrimental to farmers interest,” Mr. Pandher said.
Pargat Singh, who has sown wheat in nearly 14 acres at Rolu Majra village in district Rupnagar, said a reason cited by the CACP for review is that the policy has led to mounting food stocks and adversely affected crop diversification.
‘Assured price’
“The reality, however, is that farmers are not being taken out of this cycle (wheat/paddy). In order to bring crop diversification, there’s a need to fix proper remuneration and assured market. Government should ensure a mechanism where farmers can get an assured remunerative price for crops cultivated by them other than wheat and paddy,” Mr. Singh said.
Noted economist at Ludhiana-based Punjab Agricultural University, Prof. M.S. Sidhu, firmly believes that the current open ended procurement policy should continue in it’s current form. “The present policy is in the best interest of the country. Wheat and rice are basic food items.The present policy should continue in the interest of Punjab as well as the country,” said Mr. Sidhu.
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