The Supreme Court requested responses from the Central government, as well as the governments of Punjab and Haryana, regarding a petition aiming to establish a minimum support price (MSP) for alternative crops cultivated by farmers.
The plea also seeks periodic increases in MSP and the government’s procurement of these crops. Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan’s bench issued notices to the Centre, Punjab, and Haryana states, along with pollution control boards, agricultural universities, and ICAR, instructing them to submit their replies.
The bench has scheduled the hearing for the second week of July.
Advocate Charanpal Singh Bagri’s petition aims to establish a MSP for “alternative crops” higher than the MSP for paddy.
“Farmers of Punjab, Haryana are helpless to grow crops of wheat and paddy as same have MSP and procured by the government, despite of the fact that crop of paddy has primarily created threefold hurdles, fast depletion of underground drinkable water, pollution due to stubble or paddy straw burning, and creation of financial burden on the State for storing excess paddy during the paddy season,” Bargi said.
He emphasized that farmers should be offered new crop options based on geographical location and soil quality by setting MSPs for each crop. The petition also requested agricultural universities to supply new varieties of seeds for pulses and other crops imported from foreign countries.
“The MSP should be at higher rates and a condition may be imposed that farmers should use a limited prescribed quantity of pesticides so that organic crops may be provided to the citizens,” Bagri suggested.
He further stated that without MSP and government procurement, farmers’ conditions are dire, leaving them feeling helpless and resorting to suicide.
