Karnataka farmers have been agitating for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for years but the government is bent on ending the mandi system rather than ensuring proper prices, said Jai Kisan Andolan Founder Yogendra Yadav on April 2, 2021.

According to the MSP Loot Calculator, state farmers incurred a loss of Rs 27.99 crore in March due to being forced to sell various crops at prices less than the MSP. Kusum farmers incurred the most loss by receiving an average market price of Rs. 4,175 per quintal as opposed to its MSP of Rs. 5327 per quintal. They suffered a “loot” of Rs. 1,152 per quintal.

Similarly, maize farmers in Karnataka suffered the most in terms of total loot. In these 31 days, farmers lost Rs. 8.11 crore, while gram farmers lost Rs. 6.95 crore and ragi farmers lost Rs. 4.97 crore.

MSP rates in other states

The Calculator also showed that other states also face similar issues in availing MSP. Particularly, for gram crops, farmers receive an average market price of Rs. 4,668 per quintal instead of MSP of Rs. 5,100 per quintal – a difference of around Rs. 432 per quintal. In March, farmers incurred a loss of Rs 273 crore due to selling gram below MSP.

In main gram producing regions such as Gujarat, the situation farmers reported a loss of Rs. 639 per quintal due to an average market price of Rs. 4,461 per quintal. Last month, Gujarat gram farmers lost a total of Rs. 72 crores while their Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra counterparts were robbed of Rs. 76 crores and Rs. 55 crores respectively.

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Karnataka farmers declared an indefinite strike from December 16, 2020 to December 31, 2020 in Bangalore to voice peasant’s grievances against recently passed farm laws, said a coalition of peasants’ organisations in the state.

Agri expert and Coordinator for the joint protest Dr. Prakash Kammardi told SabrangIndia that the indefinite strike was organised by the Farmers, Dalits and Workers United Struggle group that united as many as 50 minority organisations in the state.

“The protests will take place every day from 10 AM to 5 PM right in the heart of Bangalore in front of the Gandhi statue. On Wednesday, more than 500 people joined the protest which was led by the CPI(M) [Communist Party of India (Marxist.)] Various organisations will take the initiative on different days,” he said.

Kammardi added that the non-hierarchical coalition supported the farmers’ struggle in Delhi and opposed the laws passed by the central government.

The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), the Joint Committee of Trade Unions (JCTU) and various Dalit, women’s and minority organisations resolved to form a united from to oppose the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance & Farm Services Act, the Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.

According to an AIKSCC member in Karnataka, farmers have made demands particular to Karnataka along with the repeal of the three laws. Specifically, they want the state government to repeal recent amendments regarding the Land Reforms Act and the APMC Acts which allow non-agricultural entities to buy farmland.

“The recent amendments given by the state and central government will corporatize agriculture,” the AIKSCC member told SabrangIndia.

Leaders said that once Panchayat elections are over by December end, the protesters will regroup and plan fresh strikes after due consultations.

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