'All Produce Of Farmers Will Be Purchased At Minimum Support Price': Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

The Narendra Modi government will purchase all farm produce at minimum support price, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated in Rajya Sabha on Friday (6 December).

Responding to supplementaries during Question Hour, Chouhan said, “I want to assure the house through you that all produce of farmers will be purchased at minimum support price. This is the Modi government and the guarantee to fulfil Modi's guarantee.”

His assertion came as farmers plan a foot march to Delhi to press for their demands.

Drawing a contrast with previous administrations, Chouhan remarked, “When our friends from the other side were in power, they had stated on record that they cannot accept the M S Swaminathan Commission recommendations, especially on giving 50 per cent more than the cost of produce. I have the record.”

He referenced remarks by former MoS Agriculture Kantilal Bhuria, and Agriculture Ministers Sharad Pawar and K V Thomas, to support his claim.

Following his comments, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar requested Chouhan to place the relevant documents on record, to which the minister agreed.

Chouhan further said, “They have never honoured the farmers and never gave a serious consideration to farmers' demands for remunerative prices. I want to assure the house through you that since 2019 Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to calculate the minimum support price by giving 50 per cent profit on cost of production to farmers.”

Highlighting the government's achievements, he stated that crops like paddy, wheat, jowar, and soybean have been purchased at 50 per cent above production costs for the last three years.

He also cited timely interventions in export duties and pricing to stabilise commodity rates.

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