Looking Back 2024: Paddy procurement woes kept farmers on the edge this year
This year has been an unmitigated disaster for farmers, marking the toughest year for paddy procurement since the start of the century. The once smooth procurement process which had been in place since 2002 was marred by a bitter tussle between the government and rice millers, coupled with inadequate preparations. As a result, farmers were forced to wait for days to sell their produce, only to be compelled to accept prices lower than the Minimum Support Price.
The woes of the farmers were further exacerbated by a severe shortage of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer, essential for sowing wheat, peas, potatoes and other crops. Joginder Singh, a local farmer, lamented, “Although the shortage of DAP is an annual phenomenon, the problems faced in selling paddy have brought back memories of the 1990s, when we struggled every year.”
The crisis has lent credence to the long-standing demand of farmers for a legal guarantee of MSP. Farmers argue that in the absence of laws ensuring a fair price, assurances can be easily reneged upon. The issue has become a rallying point for farmer unions, which have been protesting against the government’s failure to fulfill promises made at the end of the Delhi Morcha.
Meanwhile, the administration has been grappling with the challenge of persuading farmers to abandon the harmful practice of burning crop residue. Despite efforts to educate farmers about the environmental and health hazards of stubble burning, the practice continues unabated, with a large number of FIRs registered against the offending farmers.
As the year draws to a close, farmers are left to ponder over the lessons learnt from a difficult year. The struggle for fair prices, access to essential inputs, and sustainable farming practices would certainly continue into the New Year.
