‘Chana farmers to lose Rs 6,170 crore’

PUNE : Chana farmers stand to lose Rs 6,170 crore as they have not received the government assured minimum support price (MSP) for a good chunk of their crop, according to the ‘loot calculator’ of Jai Kisan Andolan (JKA), a movement which works for farmers’ rights.

The Andolan, launched by Yogendra Yadav founded Swaraj Abhiyan, has gleaned this crop of data based on an expected production of 1,110 lakh quintals of chana and an MSP of Rs 4,400/ quintal.

The government procurement at MSP has been targeted at only 424.4 lakh quintal. Farmers will be forced to sell the remaining 685.6 lakh quintals in the open market at below MSP rates. JKA says farmers will face losses of Rs 900-1,100/quintal as the market price is Rs 3,300-3,500/quintal. This results in a Rs 6,170-crore loss.


JKA had launched an MSP alert in the first week of April which gives a graphic presentation of prices farmers are getting in various agricultural markets in the country. It is circulated on social media and was soon followed with an MSP Loot Calculator which gives daily alerts on the losses suffered by farmers in various markets, states, crops etc.

According to Avik Saha, national convener Jai Kisan Andolan, “Price of food starts from MSP and if farmers don’t get MSP, they suffer losses and slowly move out of farming. So, for food security of the country, it’s extremely important for farmers to get MSP. This alert will help citizens and government to know what the ground reality is.”

JKA MSP Loot Calculator has also shown that tur farmers of Maharashtra will collectively bear losses of ?1,125 crore. As against an MSP of Rs 5,450/quintal including bonus, open market prices are ruling at Rs 4,100-4,300/ quintal.

Considering that the expected production in the state is 115 lakh quintals, and targeted procurement is 44.6 lakh quintals, JKA has arrived at an expected losses of Rs 1,125 crore.