Big announcement by Shivraj Singh Chouhan: Minimum Support Price (MSP) will be available on all agricultural produce

The borders of the national capital have once again been sealed to stop thousands of farmers marching 'Dilli Chalo' with their demands. An attempt is being made to disperse the agitating farmers trying to enter Delhi from the Shambhu border by firing tear gas shells. Meanwhile, giving a big relief to the farmers in the winter session of Parliament, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made a big announcement in the Rajya Sabha. Amid the protests of farmers and their massive gathering in the national capital, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told Rajya Sabha on Friday that the Narendra Modi government would buy all agricultural produce at the minimum support price (MSP).

Amidst the Delhi march of farmers, Shivraj Chauhan assured MSP for all agricultural produce. The minister gave this assurance on the day when farmers were planning to march on foot to Delhi with their demands. Shivraj Chauhan told the House, 'I want to assure the House through you (the Chairman) that all the produce of the farmers will be purchased at the Minimum Support Price. This is the Modi government and Modi's guarantee is guaranteed to be fulfilled.'

He said, 'When our friends on the other side were in power, they had said on record that they cannot accept the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission, especially the matter of giving 50 percent more than the cost of production. I have the record.' Shivraj Chouhan cited former Minister of State for Agriculture Kantilal Bhuria, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and KV Thomas in support of his claim. After his remarks, Upper House Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar asked him to table documents to substantiate his claim. Chouhan agreed to this.

The minister claimed, 'They (the previous UPA government) never respected farmers and never seriously considered the demands of farmers for remunerative prices. I want to assure the House through you that from 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to calculate the minimum support price by giving 50 percent profit on the cost of production to the farmers. He also claimed that the Modi government is already giving beneficial prices to the farmers. Chauhan said that paddy, wheat, jowar and soybean are being purchased at 50 percent more than the cost of production in three years. He also cited export duty and intervention in changing prices when the prices of commodities fall.