Fertiliser price hike: RSS affiliate BKS asks govt to check ‘exploitation’ of farmers

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 19

Pointing towards increase in prices of chemical fertilisers, including DAP, RSS affiliated Bharatiya Kisan Sangh on Wednesday urged the Narendra Modi government to intervene immediately and check the “exploitation” of farmers during the Covid pandemic.

The farmers’ organisation also asked the Centre to withdraw its May 15 order removing import duty on pulses, calling such actions “contradictory” to its stated intention on making India self-sufficient in pulses and oilseeds.

According to the general secretary of the BKS Badrinarayan Choudhury, there is an increase in chemical fertilisers’ prices to the extent of 1.5 times of the existing price. “Even IFFCO raised the price of DAP from Rs 1200/50 kg to 1900/50 kg this May. Retailers are selling with this new price, though the Chemicals and Fertilisers Ministry barred them from doing so.”

“There is huge confusion in the market. We demand that the Government should intervene immediately with a clear-cut order to check the exploitation of the farmers during such pandemic,” he said, addressing media.

Choudhury also asked the government to rethink and withdraw its order removing all import duties on tur, moong, and urad, stating that it was sending the wrong message to farmers. “The Commerce and Industry Ministry on May 15 declared that they are removing all import duties on tur, moong, and urad. All these crops are to be grown this monsoon. This has sent a message to the farmers that they should not go for cultivation these grains that they are not going to get a better price for them. While the Modi government wants to make our country self-sufficient in pulses and oilseeds and we are about to achieve that target, such action will act contradictory,” he said.

The BKS also demanded subsidy in interest for KCC cardholders. The KCC cardholders get a subsidy of a 3 per cent interest rate if they repay the loan in time. Choudhury said though the government has extended the date of repayment in relation to pandemic, banks are collecting the loans with full interests. “The Government should ensure subsidy in interest till the situation become normal,” he said, also asking it to waive off KCC loans of any farmer deceased due to coronavirus.

“We are now passing through a difficult time of the second phase of Chinese corona. As the largest farmer organisations in our country, the members of BKS are spreading awareness across villages, encouraging people to vaccinate themselves as quickly as possible and empowering them to be more mentally powerful to overcome this pandemic. Our members are working actively probably in and around 35,000 to 40,000 villages during this pandemic to help people,” the BKS said.