Government Proposes 5-Year Purchasing Plan for Key Crop Prices, Farmers Delay ‘Delhi Chalo’ Protest

The government’s proposal for the procurement of pulses, maize, and cotton crops at minimum support prices (MSP) has put a pause on the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march by farmers camped at the Punjab-Haryana border for days.

Following a meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and State Home Affairs Minister Nityanand Rai, farmers were presented with a five-year plan aiming to stabilize crop prices.

Piyush Goyal described the talks as ‘positive’, highlighting that the farmers’ leaders expressed their concerns during the discussion, creating a conducive environment for negotiation.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha farmers’ groups announced a temporary halt to the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, opting to deliberate within their forums on the government’s proposal on February 19-20.

The proposal includes measures for the purchase of pulses, maize, and cotton crops by government authorities at minimum support prices (MSP) over the next five years, a strategic move to safeguard farmer incomes and crop stability.