Enact legislation to guarantee remunerative MSP: Farmers Union to Centre

New Delhi, June 08: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions, on Tuesday demanded the immediate enactment of a legislation by the government to guarantee remunerative Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all farmers.

In a statement, the farmers' body said with the rising fuel prices and other costs, farmers are unable to even cover the cost of cultivation and production.

'Maize farmers in Punjab are getting just about Rs 700 to Rs 800 per quintal while the MSP is Rs 1,850 per quintal,' the SKM claimed and asked how a farming family can survive like this.

'The SKM demands the immediate enactment of a statute that guarantees remunerative MSP for all crops and farmers so that crop diversification can be incentivised and supported,' it said.

The SKM also criticised Twitter for blocking the account of Punjabi-Canadian singer Jazzy B, who has been a vocal supporter of farmers protesting the Centre's contentious farm laws.

'This is not the first time that the government is deploying this tactic. The SKM warns the government against unwise and illegal moves to curb the movement and its increasing strength,' it said.

It said the 'wise thing to do would be to immediately fulfil the farmers' legitimate demands and not to undemocratically stifle' voices of protest.

Twitter 'withheld' the accounts of Jazzy B, Sydney-based hip-hop artist L-Fresh the Lion and two others in response to a legal request from the Indian government.

Jazzy B had joined the agitating farmers at Delhi's Singhu border in December last year and frequently tweeted in support of the protests.

Scores of farmers have been camping at Delhi's borders since November last year demanding that the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee MSP for their crops.