What has the Govt offered protesting farmers from Punjab?
Context- In the conclusion of the fourth round of discussions on Monday, the government put forth a diversification plan involving pulses, cotton, and maize. They also guaranteed the farmers, who are currently protesting, that there would be minimum support prices (MSP) for these crops without any restrictions on the amount.
First, what are the details of the government’s proposal?
- Union Minister Piyush Goyal announced that government cooperative agencies, including NCCF and NAFED, will procure maize and three types of pulses, while the Cotton Corporation of India will procure cotton at minimum support prices.
- These agencies will offer farmers five-year legal contracts to purchase their produce. This proposal was developed in response to concerns raised by farm union leaders about increasing desertification in Punjab due to water scarcity.
- The leaders suggested crop diversification and the cultivation of pulses to reduce imports, conserve water, improve soil health, and increase farmers’ income.
- Farmers in Punjab have shown interest in maize cultivation but expressed concerns about potential losses if prices fall below the MSP.
What position has the Punjab government taken?
- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who attended the farmers’ meeting with the Union Ministers, supported the proposal for pulse cultivation to reduce import dependence.
- He noted that India imports pulses worth $2 billion and encouraging local cultivation could be a significant shift. He compared this potential change to the historic Green Revolution, emphasizing that farmers could diversify their crops if assured of a Minimum Support Price (MSP).
- He clarified that farmers would only cultivate other crops if they were economically viable like paddy. The Union Ministers addressed this concern, stating that government agencies like NAFED and CCI could purchase from farmers.
And what did the farmer leaders say after the meeting?
- Sarvan Singh Pandher, the General Secretary of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, stated that other demands of the farmers, such as debt waivers, have not yet been discussed.
- The farmers will decide on the government’s proposal after consulting within their forums and with legal experts. They will need two days to finalize their decision.
- If no agreement is reached, they plan to move towards Delhi on February 21. Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur), considered the guaranteed MSP from Government of India agencies to be a “good proposal”.
Is the proposal likely to promote agricultural sustainability?
- Over 73% of blocks in Punjab are in the critical zone of the underground water table, necessitating a shift from water-intensive paddy crops. Approximately 14 lakh tubewells pump about 3,800 litres of water to grow each kilogram of rice.
- Given the urgent need for water conservation, experts believe that crop diversification could benefit the state. However, this would mean that existing investments in paddy farming equipment could become redundant, and new machinery would be required for the new crops.
- Furthermore, farmers have been demanding a legal guarantee on MSP for 23 crops and may not switch from paddy unless the alternatives are equally profitable. Therefore, the acceptance of the government’s proposal remains uncertain.
Conclusion- The situation in Punjab presents a complex challenge. With over 73% of the region’s blocks in the critical zone of the underground water table, there is an urgent need for crop diversification away from water-intensive paddy crops. The government’s proposal for diversification into pulses, cotton, and maize, and the assurance of minimum support prices (MSP) for these crops, could potentially address this issue.
However, the transition would require significant changes in farming practices and equipment, and the economic viability of these alternative crops remains a concern for farmers. While the proposal has been met with some optimism, its acceptance hinges on whether it can offer a profitable and sustainable alternative to paddy cultivation.
