Punjab Farmers Sold More Paddy at Higher MSP than Last Year, Says Javadekar on Opposition to New Farm Laws

Punjab's farmers sold more paddy in the market this year and at a higher minimum support price (MSP) than last year, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Monday and urged the farmers not to "misunderstand" the newly enacted farm laws. Thousands of farmers have been protesting in the national capital against the Centre's new farm laws for five days and have threatened to block all entry points to the national capital.

Posting on his Twitter handle, Javadekar, the Minister of Environment as well as Information and Broadcasting, said, Do not misunderstand the agricultural law. Punjab farmers sold more paddy at higher MSP in the market this year compared to last year. MSP is alive and market is also alive and government procurement is also happening. The three agri bills were passed during the monsoon session of Parliament.

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 seeks to give freedom to farmers to sell their produce outside of the notified Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) market yards. The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 gives farmers the right to enter into a contract with agribusiness firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters, or large retailers for the sale of future farming produce at a pre-agreed price The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, is meant to remove commodities like cereals, pulses, oilseeds, onion, and potato from the list of essential commodities and do away with the imposition of stock holding limits Union Home Minister Amit Shah had appealed to the farmers to shift to the Burari ground and had said the Centre was ready to hold discussions with them as soon as they move to the designated place.

Rejecting the Centre's offer, the farmers said they will not accept any conditional dialogue. Farmers protesting against the Centre's three farm laws have expressed apprehension that the laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporates.

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