M A I N   N E W S

‘Inadequate remunerative price’ for crop
Declare ‘crop holiday’, Punjab farmers urged
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 11
Consortium of Indian Farmers Association (CIFA), a leading farmers’ organisation, has hit upon a unique idea to register farmers’ protest against the Centre’s “unattractive remunerative price” for wheat and rice produce.

Claiming that the government has become complacent toward farmers’ issues because of huge quantities of food grain produced during 2010, CIFA wants Punjab farmers to declare a “crop holiday” in 10 per cent of their land this year to draw its attention toward their problems. The association wants farmers of India to unite and evolve strategies to pressurise the government to provide them the economic equity and social recognition at par with other organised sectors.

Giving the example of Andhra Pradesh where “poor renumeration has already forced 30,000 farmers to declare crop holiday in about two lakh hectares during 2011 kharif”, CIFA president Satnam Singh Behru and secretary general Chengal Reddy have urged Punjab farmers to follow suit by declaring 10 per cent partial crop holiday this season.

“Economic principal says supply and demand determines the price, which means less production and more price. We appeal to Punjab farmers to declare crop holiday and show the way to other farmers in India. We are now producing 225 million tonnes food grains. By declaring 10 per cent crop holiday and reducing 25 MT we can demand Rs.3000 price per quintal of wheat and rice,” they say.

Reddy explains that between 1997 and 2007 the cost of diesel has gone up by 300 per cent, pesticides 150 per cent, fertilisers 45 per cent but the MSP of paddy and wheat saw an increase of mere 35 per cent to 40 per cent. Drawing a comparison between farmers and others, he says MPs and MLAs salaries increased by 250 per cent and government employees by 150 per cent.

“Labour charges in Punjab are between Rs 250 and Rs 350 per five hours’ work. Other input costs have also increased. If Punjab farmers include land value of 30 lakh per acre, its interest and management cost they should be getting Rs. 3,000 per quintal for wheat and rice instead of the present Rs 1030 for paddy and Rs 1180 for wheat,” he says.

Alleging that the government, which controls the pricing, exports and processing, has become complacent on farmers issues because produced huge quantities of rice and wheat during 2010, CIFA says it is a misnomer that farming in Punjab is profitable, especially for average farmers. “In fact a large number of Punjab rural youth work as taxi and track drivers and also join the Army to provide financial support to their families in villages”