Farmers urge Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah to facilitate MSP guarantee

Bengaluru: A delegation of farmers led by Kurubur Shanthakumar under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Thursday and submitted a memorandum seeking key reforms to safeguard farmers’ interests.

The farmers urged the chief minister to press the Centre to enact a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP), ensuring procurement of all crops at MSP and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s C2+50% formula.

They also demanded a comprehensive farm loan waiver, citing mounting indebtedness and losses allegedly suffered due to non-remunerative prices.

Among other demands, the farmers sought re-enactment of the 2013 Land Acquisition Act mandating 75% farmer consent and enhanced compensation. They called for fixing the fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane at a minimum of Rs 600 per quintal with payments within 14 days, failing which interest should be paid.

The memorandum further sought a national policy to compensate crop losses caused by climate change, reforms to make crop insurance farmer-friendly, fair compensation for land affected by high-tension power lines, and wider consultations before implementing provisions in the Seed Bill and Electricity Amendment Bill.