No info on losses incurred by farmers for not being able to sell produce in Delhi due to protest: Tomar

There is still no clarity when the talks will resume, although the government has made it clear that its doors are always open for discussion with farmers

The Centre has not received any information on losses incurred by farmers for not being able to sell their produce in the national capital owing to the farmers' protest at various border points of the city against new farm laws, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh, are agitating for over two months now seeking repeal of the three new farm laws enacted by the central government as well as a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

"Government of India has not received any information of loss to the farmers due to closed borders barring them to sell their produce to the national capital. Hence, the question of compensation for loss of produce does not arise," Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

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The minister said that some of the farmer unions have been agitating against the newly enacted laws -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement On Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The agitating unions are demanding the repeal of these three laws. So far, 11 rounds of negotiations have been held between the government and the agitating farmer unions to resolve the issues, he said in a separate reply.

The government's 11 rounds of talks held with 41 farmers' unions to end the protest have not yielded concrete results so far.

The Centre has offered concessions including keeping the laws on hold for 1-1.5 years, which unions have rejected. The government, however, in the last meeting had asked the unions to reconsider its offer and convey their final decision.

Meanwhile, a Supreme Court-appointed committee is also looking into the matter. The panel, which has to submit its report in two months, has so far held two rounds of consultations with the farmers.

There is no clarity when the talks will resume, although the government has made it clear that its doors are always open for discussion with farmers.