Farmers stage protest over MSP

Fatehgarh Sahib, June 19

Farmers, led by Baljit Singh Bhutta, former Chairman, Zila Parishad of Fatehgarh Sahib, today staged a protest against the Punjab and Central governments. They demanded MSP of corn, sunflower, moong and vegetables as per the promise made to the farmers.

Addressing the media, Bhutta said while the support price of corn was fixed at Rs 2,090 by the Punjab Government, farmers were being paid from Rs 900 to Rs 1,500 per quintal in the state markets. Similarly, the support price of sunflower was fixed at Rs 6,400 per quintal, but was being sold at Rs 4,800 in the markets.

He said the farmers were losing thousands of rupees per acre due to the sale of their crops below MSP, while the Punjab Government had announced that the farmers would be given MSP on all crops. Traders were making the most of the farmers’ plight by buying crops at arbitrary prices. He demanded from the Punjab Government that farmers be given the support price of maize and sunflower as well as compensation for their loss.

Master Narinder Singh Makaronpur, Lakhwinder Singh, Sewa Singh, Ranjit Singh, Balraj Singh, Prabhjot Singh Kotla were other prominent persons who took part in the protest.