Procure maize at MSP to prevent distress sales by farmers: Sukhbir Badal to Punjab govt

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal has asked the Punjab government to procure maize at the minimum support price of ₹2,090 per quintal, as promised by CM Bhagwant Mann

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday asked the Punjab government to procure maize at the minimum support price (MSP) of ₹2,090 per quintal, as promised by chief minister Bhagwant Mann.

Farmers who had sown maize after the announcement of the CM that it would be procured at MSP were in dire straits: SAD (HT File Photo)

In a statement here, the SAD president said farmers who had sown Maize after the announcement of the chief minister that it would be procured at MSP were in dire straits. They are finding no takers for their crop, forcing them to sell their produce at ₹500 to ₹600 per quintal less than the support price to the private traders.

Demanding immediate procurement of the entire maize crop on MSP, Sukhbir said, “Failing to do so will deal a severe blow to the diversification attempts of the Punjab government.”

He said the chief minister had announced that maize, sunflower and pulses would be procured on MSP, due to which farmers had increased the acreage under these crops.

“Now when the time has come to procure the produce, but the AAP government was trying to run away from its responsibility,” he added.

Badal demanded that besides procuring maize at MSP, the government should also compensate farmers for the loss suffered by them in selling short to private traders.