Kurukshetra farmers protest delay in procurement of sunflower seeds

Demanding procurement of sunflower seeds by government agencies, hundreds of farmers on Monday held a protest at the Shahbad grain market. Protesting under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni), they accused the government of misleading the farmers on the name of minimum support price (MSP). The government had fixed the sunflower MSP to ₹6,400 per quintal, but the farmers alleged that the government agencies did not start the procurement yet, though the harvesting of the crop has already begun.

BKU leader Rakesh Bains demanded the government to immediately start procurement by government agencies.

“There is an increase in the area under the crop and the yield is also good. But the government agencies should start procurement from May 25, instead of June 1 and the number of purchase centres should also be increased in all mandis of sunflower sowing belts of the state,” he added.

This article has been republished from The Hindustan Times