Farmers’ outfits urge MPs, MLAs to speak out against trade deals; seek scrapping of all FTAs

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a joint platform of about 500 farmers’ organisations, has written to all MPs and MLAs drawing their attention to the “deep agrarian, economic and social distress” confronting farmers and workers. SKM has urged people’s representatives to raise their voices against the proposed India-United States Free Trade Agreement (FTA), demanding that all FTAs be repealed.

Another key demand is the passage of an Act that ensures a minimum support price as recommended by the National Farmers Commission, headed by M. S. Swaminathan, with guaranteed procurement for all crops. The group demands a comprehensive loan waiver to end rural indebtedness and peasant and daily worker suicides along with ₹25 lakh compensation to the family of each peasant suicide victim. Other demands include scrapping of the four Labour Codes, a minimum wage of ₹ 31,000 for all workers, restoration of the MGNREGA mandating 200 days of work and ₹ 700 as a wage, withdrawal of the draft Electricity Bill, the Seeds Bill 2025, and the draft National Food Security Act.

“The FTAs are a blueprint for the economic colonisation of India. FTAs will allow the import of agri-products, further eroding agricultural viability, capturing the food processing markets, and changing cropping patterns, which will damage food self-reliance,” the memorandum added.

Alleging that a duopoly of Adani and Leap India had developed in the silos of the Food Corporation of India, the SKM said 77.5% of the grains will be controlled by the two companies. “We the farmers are committed to resist this corporate takeover of agriculture and will fight to protect India’s self-reliance and sovereignty,” it added.