CHANDIGARH: The second round of talks between farmer leaders and a delegation from the Centre led by the three Union ministers, which centred around the legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops among other demands, remained inconclusive. It was decided in the meeting that the next round of talks will be held on March 19.
A team comprising three Union ministers -- Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi -- held parleys with the protesting farmers of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and 28 representatives of the two forums at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration here. The meeting is also being attended by Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian and Punjab Food and Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak.
After the three-hour meeting, Chouhan said, "The talks were held in very positive atmosphere and now the next round of talks will be held on March 19 at Chandigarh. We put forth the priorities of the Modi government which is about farmers' welfare. We also heard what farmer leaders had to say."
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that discussions were held on the quantity of crops purchased at MSP, but a difference of opinion arose. He said the farmers had remained firm on their demand for legally guaranteed MSP on 23 crops, adding that the three central ministers urged Jagjit Singh Dallewal to end his fast, but he refused.
Earlier, addressing the farmers in the meeting, Chouhan said the government is committed to the welfare of farmers and has been making regular policy interventions to address issues being faced by them.
The Centre has sought the relevant reports and data cited by the farmer leaders, which they have agreed to provide. The government has assured that it will study the reports and data, based on which discussions will be taken forward.
Farmer leaders have now been tasked with compiling and presenting data to strengthen their case ahead of the March meeting. "We will share all necessary data and information and evidence to justify our demands," said SKM (Non Political) spokesperson Abhimanyu Kohar, adding that there were differences over data placed by the government with regard to market prices of agriculture produce. The government wanted more information about how much lower are the prices from MSPs according to them, he said.
Before Saturday's meeting, Chouhan earlier in the day in Delhi said the Union government was committed to purchasing wheat and paddy crops on the MSP and that they were continuously increasing the MSP on these crops. He further added that the government had also increased the credit limit of farmers from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.
On February 14, in the first meeting of the second round of talks between farmer leaders and the Centre, it was decided that both sides will continue to engage with each other and find a solution to the demands of farmers which include a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission Report, debt waiver for farmers and farm workers, a pension scheme for farmers and labourers, cancellation of cases registered against farmers during the 2020-21 farmers protests and compensation and job to kin of farmers who have died during the protests.
Both the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders (Punjab and Haryana border points) since last year and till now some 60 farmers have died during the year-long protest.
Prior to the February 14 meeting, four rounds of meetings took place between central ministers and the protesting farmers in February 2024 but the talks remained inconclusive.