Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 25: Sounding an alarm over the worsening condition of farmers in the Union Territory, the Jammu-Kashmir Kissan Congress Chairman, Bharat Priye has urged the Government to immediately announce compensation for damaged crops and fix a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat.
Talking to media-persons here on Friday, Priye said that erratic weather has compounded the distress of farmers who are yet to recover from last year’s floods. “Many crops were ruined in the floods last year. Those farmers are under debt till today. Now a day, the weather is again bad, and the same circumstances have arisen. I request the Government to provide compensation to the farmers for their damaged crops,” he said.
The Kissan leader pointed to a visible decline in wheat quality this season across several areas of Jammu. Referring to the shriveled grains, he said the produce is far inferior to last year’s crop.
“You can see the size of the seed. Look at the size of the wheat. It is completely shriveled. What price will it fetch in the market? No mill owner will give us a good rate for this,” he remarked.
Bharat alleged that the seeds supplied this season were sub-standard and nearly four years old. “In various discussions it has come out that the seed that came this time at that rate was sub-standard. You will get wheat of this same size only. This is a fraud with farmers,” Priye said, calling it a “scam” that needs urgent inquiry.
Reiterating the long-pending demand for MSP, the Kisan Congress Chairman warned that further delay would push cultivators deeper into debt. MSP is much needed at this time. If some decision is not taken soon, the farmer will sink even deeper, and we will again see those worst scenes that were witnessed earlier,” he cautioned.
He appealed to the UT Administration and the Central Government to assess crop damage on the ground, ensure timely compensation, blacklist suppliers of sub-standard seeds, and announce MSP for wheat without delay.
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