Modi govt will purchase all farm produce at MSP: Agriculture Minister in Rajya Sabha

The Narendra Modi government will purchase all farm produce at minimum support price, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in Rajya Sabha on Friday. 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 are planning to embark on a foot march to Delhi with their demands.

"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.

"They have never honoured the farmers and never gave a serious consideration to farmers' demands for remunerative prices. I want to assure the house through you that since 2019 Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to calculate the minimum support price by giving 50 per cent profit on cost of production to farmers," the minister claimed.

He also claimed 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.