AIKS criticises govt for fixing lower MSP for rabi crops

New Delhi, Oct 18. The minimum support price for wheat and other rabi crop announced by the government is a "mockery of the plight of farmers", All India Kisan Sabha, the peasants wing of CPI(M) party, said today. It warned the government that peasants will protest against this move unless the MSP for the 2014-15 marketing year is not revised upward taking into account rising input costs, said an official statement. "AIKS condemns the insensitive Congress-led government for making mockery of the plight of farmers and announcing only a meagre increase in MSP of wheat... This latest move will adversely affect the acreage under cultivation of wheat and other crops," the statement said. The MSP fixed for barley, gram, masur, mustardseed and safflower are also way below farmers' expectations, it added. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs yesterday approved an increase in wheat MSP by only Rs 50 per quintal to Rs 1,400 per quintal for 2014-15 marketing year (April-March). It approved a marginal hike for all rabi crops. Stating that both CCEA and the government's advisory body CACP have "betrayed" interest of farmers, AIKS said the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Price (CACP) "has not done justice to its role". The support price announced for 2014-15 citing "bogey of inflation" is lower than the cost of production. AIKS had sought wheat MSP of Rs 1800 per quintal, it noted. As rising prices of fertiliser, diesel and electricity among others, have made farming activity very costly, MSP announced will not boost confidence of farmers and does not provide a reasonable margin over cost of production as suggested by the Swaminathan Commission, it said. AIKS further said: "Continuous announcement of unfair and un-remunerative MSP coupled with the anti-farmer policies of the centre and different state governments will further slowdown agricultural growth.