Centre to continue procurement at MSP, says Sukhbir

CHANDIGARH:SHIROMANI Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday said the Centre had given a categorical assurance to farmers that the three ordinances about the marketing of agriculture produce will have no bearing on the existing policy of procurement of farmers’ crops by government agencies at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Sukhbir said the Centre also said there was no change in the present policy of purchase of agriculture produce through MSP through state agencies. The centre’s assurance came in a communication to the SAD chief from Union agriculture, farmers welfare and rural development minister Narendra Tomar.

Badal added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured him that these commitments will be reflected in the legislation to turn this ordinance into an Act. “The centre’s assurances have come only after deliberations at the highest level,” he said in a statement.

The communication categorically states that the government and Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCS) will “continue to have regulatory powers within the trade areas and to impose mandi fees and other charges as per the state statues” as is the practice now,” according to the party release.

The Central minister’s letter was in response to Sukhbir’s letter on July 26 in which the latter had emphasised that the assurances given verbally in this regard had not proved enough to remove the “fears and apprehensions in the minds of the farmers about the continuance of official procurement of farmers’ crops at MSP.