The Plight of Paddy Farmers in Chhattisgarh

Political parties like Congress and Janata Congress Chhattisgarh are highly banking upon the rice farmers of the state to come to the power by forming the government through their promise of giving Rs 2,500 as minimum support price (MSP) on paddy.

The paddy farmers of the Chhattisgarh, the rice bowl of eastern India, are unhappy with the minimum support price (MSP) they are getting presently, and many of the farmers in central Chhattisgarh have stocked up their rice, and are planning to sell it only after the formation of new government. These rice farmers will very much decide which political party will form the new government in the state.

Presently, these paddy farmers are getting Rs 1,750 per quintal for selling their rice to the government with a bonus of Rs 300, which makes Rs 2,050 the MSP.

Dinesh Sahu, 38, a farmer from Dalli Rajharha, says that the MSP farmers are getting presently is not enough to garner profit from it. “Forget profit, the farmers have to pay from their pocket for transportation and other expenses they incur while taking it to the mandi, and at the present MSP they end up incurring loss,” he says. He added that he has stocked up at least 50 quintals of rice in his drawing room, and would sell only on the formation of new government.

“See, I have voted for Congress, and I will wait for them to come to power. Even the Jogi Congress will work for farmers as both of these parties have promised to give Rs 2500 per quintal. There are a few more days until results, and farmers do not want to incur loss this time also,” he says.

Sahu, the father of three boys, says that he incurred a loss of Rs 29,000 in the last yielding season, and other farmers of his area also ended up selling their rice at loss. It may be mentioned that Raman Singh, the present chief minister, on December 12, 2013, while taking his oath, had pledged to increase the MSP to Rs 2,100 per quintal as promised in BJP’s older manifesto, but the MSP was increased in last July only, and it could go up to Rs 2050 per quintal, and could not touch the rate which was promised by the saffron party which is in power in the state since so long.

Calculation as per Sahu on one acre of field:

Number of days to cultivate paddy = 145

Cost of labour at Rs 230 per day = 145 X 230 = Rs 33,350

Rs 230 per day cost has been fixed by the government.

Cost of paddy seeds = Rs 700

Cost of pesticide = Rs 2,000

Cost of manure = Rs 3,000

Total cost of production = Rs 39,050

Approximate output is about 10 quintals

Cost of 10 quintals as per the MSP = 1750 x 10 = Rs17,500

Bonus = 300 x10 = Rs 3,000

Total = 20,500

Profit/Loss per acre = MSP-production cost

                                = 20,500 - 39,050 = Rs -18,500

As per the calculation by Sahu, a farmer bears a loss of Rs 18,500 (approximately) on 10 quintals of paddy grown on one acre of land. It may also be mentioned that the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices had, in its report, recommended the MSP of paddy at Rs 2,226 per quintal. According to available official figures from the Chhattisgarh government, the state is home to 43 lakh paddy farmers.

Sanket Thakur, a Raipur-based agriculture expert says that the government's methodology of calculating the MSP is wrong because it does not include the cost of land, and also of the workforce of owner of the land. “The government wants to convert the agricultural economy to industrial economy. They want farmers to be labourers in the industries. If this will be the thinking of the government, then how will the farmers earn profit?” he questions.

Political observer Ashok Tomar says that MSP issue is going to cost the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) this election, and would help other parties.

“Paddy farmers have held numerous protests in the last year, and they have suffered huge losses also owing to nature’s wrath. Congress and Ajit Jogi have played very well on this issue, and yes, it would be very right to say that these farmers hold the key to Raipur,” he said.

It may also be mentioned that 1,344 farmers had committed suicide in Chhattisgarh in last 2.5 years due to various reasons.