A day ahead of the Cabinet meeting where a decision on the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)’s suggestions for an increased MSP for paddy is likely to be taken, various farmers’ organisations hoped that the Centre will follow the formula of cost + 50 per cent as suggested by Swaminathan Commission.

Both the Left-wing All India Kisan Sabha and RSS’s Kisan Sangh have called upon the Centre to revise the MSP of the paddy based on the Swaminathan Commission recommendation. The organisations have apprehensions about the functioning of the CACP too.

“It is true that the CACP has not be constituted properly. There are vacancies in the panel. However, they hold regular consultations with us on the MSP. On paddy, we expect the Cabinet to take a decision considering the increased cost of production,” said senior leader of Kisan Sangh Dinesh Kulkarni. AIKS joint secretary Vijoo Krishnan said the CACP stopped inviting many farmers’ organisations that oppose the Centre’s policies for discussions on MSP. “Cost plus 50 per cent remains a mirage. As a result of the Narendra Modi government’s refusal to redeem its promise of implementing this formula, farmers are estimated to have lost nearly ₹ 3 lakh crore for major crops in the kharif and rabi seasons of 2017-18. The Centre has done nothing to expand procurement. Unless there is assured procurement and prices, any hike in MSP is only notional and seeks to hoodwink farmers,” Krishnan said.

Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav said the first four years of the Narendra Modi government witnessed meagre increase in the MSP of paddy.

“They have no option but to increase the MSP of paddy. It will be partial, delayed and a minimalist step, but the Centre will project it as historical,” Yadav, who was taking part in a farmers’ rally in Haryana, said.

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