New Delhi: The Centre will purchase all farm produce at minimum support price, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced.
He gave the assurance while answering supplementaries during Question Hour on the issue of MSP to farmers.
The assertion came on a day when farmers embarked on a foot march to Delhi with a charter of demands, which includes a legal backing to MSP.
“I want to assure the house through you that all produce of farmers will be purchased at minimum support price. This is the Modi government and the guarantee to fulfil Modi’s guarantee,” Chouhan told the house.
“When our friends from the other side were in power, they had stated on record that they cannot accept the M S Swaminathan Commission recommendations, especially on giving 50 per cent more than the cost of produce. I have the record,” he said.
He cited former MoS Agriculture Kantilal Bhuria, Agriculture Ministers Sharad Pawar, and K V Thomas to back his claim.
After his remarks, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar asked him to place on record the documents to substantiate his claim, which Chouhan agreed to.
Chouhan claimed that the Modi government is already giving remunerative prices to farmers, saying that paddy wheat, jowar, soyabean were being purchased at 50 per cent above the cost of production from three years ago.
He also cited intervention in changing export duties and prices whenever rates of commodities fall.
