Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday accused the state government of tricking the farmers by forcing them to sell their produce at a lower price than the minimum support price (MSP).
In a statement, the Leader of the Opposition asked as to where was the BJP government’s Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana and government procurement agencies. “The government is continuously defrauding farmers by not paying MSP for crops like paddy, millet, green gram and cotton,” he alleged. Hooda said that farmers’ produce crops were being sold at throwaway prices.
“On the other hand, there are long queues for buying fertiliser,” he said.
Hooda said millet was being sold at ₹1800 to ₹1850 per quintal in Narnaul mandis and not a single grain has been purchased by the government. “Not a single grain of millet has been purchased in the mandis of Nuh district either. The situation in Hisar mandis is even worse,” he pointed out.
Hooda said that 40,000 tonnes of moong beans arrived in Hisar mandis, but the government agencies did not purchase a single grain. He maintained that cotton was also being sold at throwaway prices in Bhiwani mandis. “Cotton is being sold at ₹6500- ₹7200 per quintal, while the MSP is ₹8100 per quintal. Due to the lack of government procurement, only millers are purchasing, resulting in complete loss for farmers,” the Congress leader said.
{{/usCountry}}Hooda said that 40,000 tonnes of moong beans arrived in Hisar mandis, but the government agencies did not purchase a single grain. He maintained that cotton was also being sold at throwaway prices in Bhiwani mandis. “Cotton is being sold at ₹6500- ₹7200 per quintal, while the MSP is ₹8100 per quintal. Due to the lack of government procurement, only millers are purchasing, resulting in complete loss for farmers,” the Congress leader said.
{{/usCountry}}Hooda also questioned the claims of government agencies that the farm produce does not meet the standards. “What kind of standards is the government talking about? If the standards were correct when the seeds were sold, how did they go wrong at harvest time,” he asked.