June 14, 2023
CHANDIGARH – The ongoing agitation by farmers in Haryana came to an end today as officials from the administration agreed to pay the minimum support price (MSP) for the sunflower crop.
Farmers call off the blockade on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway after reaching an agreement with the administration.
Under the agreement, the Haryana government has agreed to pay Rs 6400 as MSP for sunflower seeds. In addition, the government has committed to releasing all arrested farmers and dropping the police cases against them.
The Haryana government will, however, have the option to pay this amount through compensation for the price difference between the rate of sunflower seeds procurement and MSP.
The Haryana government has also agreed to withdraw the cases registered against farmers leaders in due course of time in order to pave the way for their release.
With this, the farmers will immediately lift the blockade and the vehicular traffic movement on Delhi-Chandigarh highway will soon be normal.
Previously, farmers were selling their sunflower crop in the open market at ₹4,000 per quintal, receiving an additional ₹1,000 per quintal as relief from the government. This fixed relief amount is provided when products are sold below the minimum support price.
The deadlock, which had persisted since the beginning of the month, was resolved through a meeting between the farmers and local administration officials held earlier today.
The Divisional Commissioner, present at the meeting, assured that the government would increase the relief and offer a fair price to the farmers. He urged the farmers to end their protest.
The farmers had initiated the protest after the state government’s decision not to procure sunflower seeds at the minimum support price. On June 6, farmers associated with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) had staged a blockade on National Highway-44 near Shahabad in Kurukshetra district. Police had employed batons and water cannons to disperse the demonstrators.
Subsequently, nine leaders of the farmers’ group, including the president, were arrested on various charges, including rioting and unlawful assembly.