Samyukt Kisan Morcha plans nationwide MSP order burning May 27-31
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which brings together about 500 farmer groups, isn't happy with the government's new minimum support price (MSP) for key crops.
On May 15, SKM announced that farmers across India will protest from May 27 to 31 by burning copies of the MSP order in their villages.
Their main issue? The government hasn't used the Swaminathan Commission's C2+50% formula (which would set MSPs at 50% above production costs), something farmers say is crucial for fair earnings.
SKM cites ₹802 paddy price gap
SKM says the government's current A2+FL formula for MSP only covers basic expenses and family labor, leaving prices about 30% lower than what they believe is fair.
For example, they point out a ₹802 per quintal gap in paddy prices: the official rate is ₹2,441, but they want ₹3,243.
Rising costs of seeds, fertilizers, and diesel are making things tougher for farmers, and without a strong system to buy their crops directly from them, many feel stuck dealing with unfair market prices.