MP: Farmers Incur Huge Losses in Spite of Bhavantar Bhugtan Scheme

The Madhya Pradesh government may have won the Krishi Karman Award from the Union Government for the fifth time in a row, but the farmers of Malwa region of state are in a lather against the government because of its alleged anti-farmer policies.

The farmers of the Malwa region of the state, which comprises – Mandsaur, Neemuch, Ratlam, Jhabua, Agar, Ujjain and other nearby districts – are distressed with the crashing price of garlic, soyabean, milk, onion, kidney bean, uradh, maize and opium.

In different mandis (markets) of the region, there is a dip of 60 to 70 per cent in the crops’ rates in comparison with the prices in the previous years. Onion and garlic produce have suffered the worst dip in prices this year.

Garlic is selling between Rs 200 to 3225, onion at Rs 265 to 941, and kidney-bean at Rs 2000 to 3500 per quintal, while opium is selling at Rs 1500 to 3000 per kg.

As per the Mandi Board of Madhya Pradesh data, there are 520 mandis in the state, out of which, 246 are main wholesale, and 274 are sub-mandis. Of these, 35 per cent mandis are in Malwa region because, 80 to 85 per cent of the population of Malwa region is totally dependent on agriculture.

The crashing price of the major crops have irked the farmers in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh. They are putting the onus on the state and central governments’ anti-farmers policies for this grave situation.

They claimed that earlier, they were getting better prices, as compared to the last two-three years. The frustration is growing among the farmers of Malwa region, and they are planning to oust the current BJP government in the upcoming assembly polls, scheduled to take place on November 28.

A garlic farmer, Shivnarayan Ved, said, “Sau kilo lahsun becho aur 1 liter petrol kharido, baat barabar hai (Sell 100 kg of garlic, and buy and 1 litre of petrol, the price for both will be the same.)”

Shivnarayan Ved is a 58-year-old farmer, who lives in Sitamo tehsil of Mandsaur district.

Another farmer, Ram Gopal (68) from Zeerapur, who was in Mandsaur Krishi Upaj Mandi to sell their garlic crop, said, “I had sold it for Rs 6000 to 7000 per quintal in the same mandi, but, now it has crashed to 200 to 3000 per quintal.”

Gopal said that the farmers spend Rs 25,000 to 30,000 to grow an acre of garlic crop, and each acre has, on average, around 8 to 10 quintal of crops. “On each acre, we are bearing brunt of Rs 8000 to 10,000. How we will survive?” he asked.

When asked about the state government’s Bhavantar Bhugtan Scheme, he said, “Many of them are not aware of this scheme. Though, the government fixes average price of a crop on a monthly basis, the rate in mandis are fluctuating every day. It that case, Bhavantar is like cumin in a camel’s mouth,” he asserted.

Milk farmers too have been going through a similar crisis. They sell pure milk at a price between Rs 21 and 23 to Ujjain Milk Cooperative Society, which sells it for double the price in the main market.

A milk farmer, Ram Niwas who reportedly failed to feed his family though farming, had bought some buffaloes and cows from Haryana at a steep price to earn some extra money. But, due to the constant loss in the milk business, he has sold two of his buffaloes and is planning to sell the rest too.  

“Due to the inadequate farming land, I purchased some buffaloes and cows to earn, but I’m left empty handed, as we are getting Rs 21 to 22 a litre. The same milk is being sold at Rs 36 to 52 in the market,” said Ram Niwas of Balaguda village.

“At least, the milk farmers should get Rs 30 a litre, then, we can survive,” he added.

Even the opium farmers are incurring losses. An opium farmer, Gopal Patidar, said, “It’s no more profitable despite taking a huge risk. We put a lot of pain in growing opium, but in return, we get Rs 15,000 to 20,000 a kg.”

He further said, “The rate of opium in black market in Rs 8 to 10 a kg. This is joke to us.”

Secretary of Neemuch Krishi Upaj Madni Samiti, Sanjay Shrivastava, said, “Mandis are open markets, and we have no control over it. The businessmen open rates after seeing the quality of the crops. The rate of crops depend on the quality, demand and supply of the crops.”  

In a scathing attack on the BJP-led state government, farmer leader Kedar Sirohi said, “The state government has taken no lesson from Mandsaur farmers’ protest. Instead of giving actual price for their crops, farmers are forced to sell their crops at lower prices. Not even Bhavantar Scheme is useful for the farmers.”

He alleged, “Farming is only profitable for CM Chouhan’s son and the agriculture minister. CM Chouhan’s son Kartikey earned a profit of Rs 90 lakh in last two years in farming and Agriculture Minister Gauri Shankar Bisen has also earned a similar amount by selling mangoes.”