Fix ₹12,500 a quintal minimum support price for red gram, say growers

Members of the Samyukta Horata Karnataka, Kalaburagi unit, staged a protest at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Yard here on Tuesday, pressing for a series of demands to address the deepening crisis faced by red gram growers in the region.

Raising slogans against both the State and the Union governments, the protesters demanded the establishment of exclusive red gram procurement centres on the lines of milk producers cooperative societies under the Karnataka Milk Federation model.

They sought a minimum support price (MSP) of ₹12,500 per quintal of red gram, contending that the current market prices are far below the cost of cultivation.

Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha district president Sharanabasappa Mamshetty demanded that the State government provide a production incentive of ₹1,000 per quintal, along with an additional incentive of ₹1,000 per quintal from the Union government, to ensure remunerative returns for farmers.

They called for the imposition of a 50% import duty on imported red gram, saying that large-scale imports are depressing domestic prices.

Mr. Mamshetty urged the district authorities to immediately commence procurement of red gram to prevent distress sales by farmers.

He also demanded settlement of crop insurance claims, saying that delays have compounded financial distress of farmers.

All India Kisan Sabha district president Bheemashankar Madiyal and All India Kisan Khet Mazdoor Sangathan district secretary S.B. Mahesh demanded waiver of agricultural loans by nationalised banks, citing the mounting debt burden on farmers.

They warned that the continued neglect of the agrarian crisis might lead to an increase in farmer suicides.

The agitators will launch a 24-hour protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Thursday, they said.