Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday demanded that farmers be compensated for the loss suffered by them after being forced to sell their moong crop at a price which was a few thousands rupees below the MSP of Rs 7225 announced by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
“The CM had announced in the state Assembly that farmers who had sowed moong crop on lakhs of acres following his assurance that it will be procured on MSP, would be compensated after government agencies failed to procure 83 per cent of the total crop which arrived in the mandis,” the SAD president said while interacting with farmers in Tapa mandi in Barnala district.
Senior leaders Sikander Singh Maluka, Satnam Singh Rahi and Baba Tek Singh Dhanaula accompanied the SAD president.
“Farmers have informed me that moong crop was being purchased by private players at rates between Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 per quintal and that the government was not honouring its commitment to pay the losses incurred by them,” Badal said.
Asking the Chief Minister what the fault of the farmers was that they were being made to suffer, Badal demanded that the state immediately dole out compensation. He also said that the farmers were finding it difficult to sell their crop even thousands of rupees below the MSP. “Some farmers have even ploughed their moong fields in desperation,” he added.