Madhya Pradesh: Farmers of MP staged an agitation on Saturday under the leadership of Congress leaders at Mhow-Neemuch road in Dhar. The farmers have been complaining of heavy loses as the Market price of garlic slipped to less Rupees 1.
The farmers blocked the Badnawar Chowpatty on NH and raised anti govt slogans demanding a solution.
Earlier, a video from Dhar surfaced where farmers were seen throwing away the garlic bags in the Chamla river expressing angst on the price they received.
Two weeks ago garlic in Mandsaur and Ratlam districts was sold at local mandis at the rock bottom price of Rs 45-50 a quintal leaving farmers in distress. Farmers of both districts had launched protests over the low price for their crop and demand ‘minirnum support price’ for garlic, pointing out that it was included in the BJP led state government’s ‘Bhavantar Bhutan Scheme’ in 2018-19 but was discontinued, leaving farmers at the mercy of the market’s demand-and-supply for mula.
The crisis has arisen due to bumper production, say sources. Under the. Bhavantar scheme, if the market price of listed crops was lower than the government-fixed modal rate, the government paid farmers the difference. According to senior horticulture officials, the Bhavantar rate for garlic in 2018-19 was Rs 800/quintal,