Farmers in Madhya Pradesh are once again facing a deep crisis. In Chhatarpur, tomato-producing farmers are being forced to sell their crops at Rs 3-4 per kilogram, which is even less than their production costs. Many farmers have stopped irrigation and are leaving their ripe crops to rot in the fields or feeding them to animals. State Congress President Jeetu Patwari said that this situation is not limited to Chhatarpur but is prevalent in many districts of Malwa, Nimar and Bundelkhand. Patwari has attributed this crisis not to a natural disaster but to the Government’s apathy and flawed policies.

 

He stated, “Farmers are alive today, but their hope is dying. It is injustice that the fruits of their labour turn to dust, and the Government remains silent. The farmer is not a beggar, he is the provider of food for the nation. The government must intervene immediately.” Patwari said that the tomato crisis is not a new phenomenon and farmers in Madhya Pradesh face this repeatedly. Farmers in several districts, including Tikamgarh, Panna, Niwari, Damoh, Ratlam, Mandsaur, and Dhar, grow tomatoes every year, but they do not get the right market, price, and preservation facilities. Due to a lack of processing units, farmers are forced to sell their produce cheaply or destroy it. He said that the Government has neither a policy nor a price control plan. Congress’s demands MSP: Declare a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for tomato and vegetable producers as well, demanded Congress. Open Government procurement centers in each district where farmers’ produce can be purchased at a minimum price. Provide immediate relief packages to the affected farmers; compensate for the loss per quintal.

 

Establish processing units, cold storage facilities, and food parks to strengthen farmers’ hope. Implement a long-term agricultural policy for vegetable-producing farmers in the state so that they do not have to struggle with market and price crises every year. Wheat, paddy, soybean farmers also in crisis: Patwari said that not only tomato producers but also wheat, paddy, and soybean farmers in the State are facing a severe crisis.

 

Due to annual delays and technical glitches in government wheat procurement, farmers are forced to sell at lower prices in the open market. Corruption, a shortage of weighing machines, and the interference of middlemen are common in paddy procurement. The market price of soybean is consistently lower than the MSP, and bonus schemes are also incomplete. The e-procurement portal repeatedly crashes, and farmers are humiliated while standing in queues. Patwari has demanded an answer from the Chief Minister about when the procurement of wheat at Rs 2,700, paddy at Rs 3,100, and soybean at Rs 6,000 per quintal will begin. Congress’s Promise: Patwari reiterated that if Congress comes to power, it will fix MSP for every major crop and make every possible effort to give it legal status. A ‘Kisan Nyay Niti’ (Farmers’ Justice Policy) will be brought at the state level, which will provide farmers not only with price but also with insurance, bonus, and protection based on their produce. A plan will be made to establish processing units at the block level in necessary districts and direct access to farmers’ markets at the district level, according to the crop.