Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shobha Karandlaje on Tuesday said the protests being staged on Delhi borders are not by farmers but middlemen in the agriculture produce marketing committees (APMCs). These middlemen are holding dharna not in the interest of farmers but for their own benefits, she alleged.
Ms. Karandlaje wondered how farmers could take part in protests for so long leaving work in their fields and claimed that the middlemen were holding the protests on the Delhi borders as the Centre’s new farm laws were expected to hit them hard.
Addressing presspersons here, the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP argued that the new farm laws were favourable to the farmers and the Centre will continue to make efforts to persuade farmers on why the Centre came up with the laws.
“Despite knowing that the protestors are middlemen and not farmers, the Centre is ready to hold talks and about 11 rounds of consultations had taken place between the government and the leaders of the protests although the meetings were inconclusive,” the Minister said.
Mr. Karandlaje blamed the government in Punjab for the protests claiming that the State would lose sizable revenue from the APMCs once the new laws were enforced. “Some vested interests are also behind the protests.”
The Minister said the country made significant strides in food production, which she described as momentous. Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, India produced 305 million tonnes of foodgrains and 325 million tonnes of horticulture produce in 2020-21. This is something remarkable when the country faced devastating first and second waves of COVID-19.
Admitting that the fertilizer prices have gone up recently, Ms. Karandlaje said this was was because of increase in prices of raw materials imported from other countries for manufacturing fertilizers. “We are yet to become self-sustainable in fertilizer production and the Centre is committed to make this happen soon.”
The Minister said the demand for fertilizers has also increased with more youth shifting towards agriculture, leaving jobs in cities and shifting to their villages amidst the pandemic. It is a good sign that more youth are showing interest in agriculture.
Describing the crop survey app launched in the State as a “model” for the country, Ms. Karandlaje said there are plans to replicate the app in other States as well since it is helping farmers in assessing their crop and seek relief under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana. “The farmers need not have to wait for the officers to assess the loss as they themselves can upload the photos of their crops using the app.”
The Minister claimed that the contribution to the country’s GDP from agriculture which was 14 per cent in 2013-14 has gone up to 20.22 per cent in 2021-22. India has reached 9th position in food exports and the Centre has set its vision to make India number one in food production.
Lashing out at the Opposition for not allowing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introduce his new Cabinet in Parliament and creating ruckus, she said the unruly behaviour of the Opposition is condemnable and the new members of the Modi Cabinet are now going around their respective States to introduce themselves to the people through Jana Ashirvada Yatra. The four new Ministers from the State were touring the State holding the yatras, she added.
