Bihar farmers protest against low pulse, wheat prices

Hundreds of Bihar farmers on Monday protested against falling pulses and wheat prices and failure of the BJP-led Central government to provide them Minimum Support Price (MSP) as promised four years ago.

Protesting farmers in Barahia of Lakhisarai district, and Mokama, Barh and Bakhtiarpur of Patna district disrupted train services and roads traffic and demanded MSP for their produce, police said.

Farmers of low-lying areas spread over nearly 2,000 acre -- locally known as "Taal" which remains submerged during most part of the year -- farmers only manage to grow rabi crops, mainly pulses and wheat.

Angry over falling prices of their produce and no hope for MSP, the farmers took to streets and threatened to intensify their agitation if the government failed to provide them the minimum prices.

"We are forced to sell pulses like 'masur' at Rs 3,000 per quintal and gram at Rs 3,500, which are below the MSP. Similarly, we are selling wheat at Rs 1,400 per quintal, but government is doing nothing to help us," said Munna Singh, a protesting farmer in Mokama -- about 100km from Patna.

--IANS

ik/nir