Farmers have suffered significant financial losses as a result of the recent unseasonal rains, storms, and winds, they claim, and the MSP should be increased this year.
Farmers' body office-bearers and activists, led by Harmit Singh Kadian and Zeenu Dhillon, expressed regret that successive governments had failed to understand the problems of small and marginal farmers, particularly those caused by natural disasters such as the recent inclement weather.
"The current Union and state governments are only concerned with publicising their meagre achievements while ignoring the interests of farmers," Kadian said, demanding that the permissible moisture content and discolour be increased to 16% (from 12% now) and 7% (from 3% now) in the wheat crop to be procured this season.
All-India Among those present were Kisan Sabha leader Baldev Singh Latala, Zila Parishad member Prabhdeep Narangwal, and Congress halqa in-charge Raikot Kaamil Singh.
According to agricultural leaders, the last two years have been difficult for farmers in the state in general and the Malwa region in particular, and the current unseasonal rains have impacted nearly all farmers in the region.
According to Kadian, the government should compensate impacted farmers with Rs 500 each quintal. He went on to say that the government's policy to promote moong farming had entirely failed. He asked the administration to implement new policies this year.
"Corn and moong cultivation should be promoted, and farmers should be provided with free electricity so that farming can continue uninterrupted," he stated.
Fatehgarh Sahib MP Amar Boparai said he had taken farmers' demands to Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, demanding at least Rs 300 per quintal increase in wheat prices, as well as lump-sum compensation of Rs 40,000 per acre for farmers suffering crop damage of more than 75%.
