MSP price boost falls short without legal protection

The Central Government has announced an increase in the minimum support prices (MSP) for six crops, including lentils at Rs 425, mustard at Rs 200, safflower at Rs 150, wheat at Rs 150, barley at Rs 115, and chickpeas at Rs 105 per quintal.
The National President of the Farmer’s Convention issued a statement, saying that the price increase is more than 7.5 per cent in consumer goods and items used by farmers, which means that the increase in minimum support prices is relatively less when compared to the inflation index. For this reason, the government has not linked the MSPs to the price index. Additionally, because the government does not purchase at the MSP, farmers have to sell their produce at a loss.
The Jat stated that last year, farmers had to sell their produce of mustard and chickpeas at a loss of Rs 1200 per quintal. Whereas according to a statement made in parliament by the government, it was said that no farmer should be forced to sell their produce for less than the declared MSP. On the contrary, there is a significant difference between the government’s words and actions given the ground reality.
They said that to gain credibility, the government must enact a law guaranteeing procurement at the MSP to eliminate this discrepancy. In this regard, the government has also formed a committee on 12 July 2022. Despite the completion of the contemplation process, the government has not taken any meaningful action yet.