Samyukta Kisan Morcha in Delhi to demand MSP law

The 14th Prime Minister had announced his decision to repeal the controversial three farm laws, the union government, through his secretary (Farmers Welfare) on December 9, 2021. He assured the leadership of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) that a committee including representatives from the Centre and state governments, agricultural scientists and farmer leaders of different unions would be constituted with the mandate to devise methods to implement Minimum Support Price (MSP). 

The letter dated December 9, 2021 noted that the Union government in principle has agreed to withdraw criminal cases by its agencies against farmers for participation in struggle and that it would appeal to the state governments, too, to withdraw the cases. The Centre had assured SKM that it will also hold discussion on provisions impacting farmers in Electricity Amendment Act. 

Government’s invitation to SKM to join the committee on Zero Budget Farming was rejected by the SKM leaders because the committee had majority members who had backed the farm laws. 

SKM has asserted that the Commission on Agriculture Costs and Prices (CACP), the Central body responsible for announcing MSP for procuring crops from farmers, has been employing a wrong methodology for calculating the input costs of seeds, fertiliser, herbicides, pesticides, diesel and harvesting. While CACP has used A2 + FL formula, the farmers has been asking for C2+ 50% for fair returns on the produce. A2 covers major costs, such as fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides and diesel among other costs and FL implies unpaid family labour. C2 refers to comprehensive costs, which also covers rents and forgone interest on land, apart from traditional costs. 

Taking note of the MSP rates announced for the Kharif season in 2024, the SKM pointed out that they lost Rs 704 per quintal for paddy alone. While the A2+FL rates for paddy were fixed at 1,533/quintal and the final MSP was fixed by summing A2 + FL + 50% (Rs 2,300/quintal). Similarly, for jowar hybrid, SKM said they had lost Rs 1,066 per quintal. 

After a year-long movement against the now repealed three farm laws, now the SKM farmers began a march on tractor trolleys and vehicles o Delhi on December 2, 2024. They plan to stay put till their demands for fair MSP law is met. After the administration opened the way for talks, the farmers stopped their march and have set up a concrete front on the road on the Delhi-Noida border. 

SKM leaders are demanding minimum support price (MSP) as per the Swaminathan Commission formula, one time debt relief from all public and private lenders, curbing privatisation of electricity and insurance in public sector for crop and animal husbandry. It has announced that its protest is “comprehensive” because it includes all major sections of workers, farmers and agricultural workers. SKM supports the demand of workers' unions who have appealed for the repeal of four labour codes. The workers' unions support farmers' demand. They have formed a  Joint Platform with Central Trade Unions. agriculture workers’ unions.