HUNDREDS of farmers from different areas reached the district headquarters in a tractor rally and raised 15 key demands concerning agriculture, including procurement of paddy at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) instead of under Bhavantar Yojana. District President Ramdas Patel said farmers should not be left at the mercy of mandis, alleging that they had become a means of exploitation. The farmers will submit a 15-point memorandum to Collector seeking urgent action on delayed crop payments, procurement prices, electricity supply and alleged fraud. The farmers demanded that paddy be procured at Rs 3,100 per quintal and wheat at Rs 2,700 per quintal, citing the ‘Modi ki Guarantee’. They also sought a limit of 25 quintals per acre and demanded that mandis should not allow bidding below MSP. They further sought that warehouses attached to procurement centres be cleared before procurement begins.

 

Farmers also demanded immediate payment of pending dues for paddy, wheat and moong in Majholi, along with outstanding payments from Chansoriya, Shubhi Akshay and Narmada Agro Warehouses in Panagar. They also sought action against seed companies over crop losses despite claims of BLB and BPH disease resistance and demanded the arrest of traders in Shahpura accused of withholding payments after purchasing farmers’ produce. Other demands included stopping FIRs and notices against farmers over stubble burning until adequate disposal facilities are available, time-bound disposal of revenue cases and immediate implementation of Kisan Khet Sadak Yojana. To prevent mandi fraud, farmers suggested Aadhaar and photograph scanning for produce transactions. They also demanded commissioning of the Ranital Katav substation in Majholi, 12-hour daytime farm power supply and replacement of overloaded transformers in Sihora