BKU flays Centre for marginal hike in wheat MSP

BKU (Punjab) president Ajmer Singh Lakhowal said the Centre had played a "cruel joke" on farmers by marginally increasing the wheat MSP for 2013-14 crop year

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) today criticised the Centre for announcing a "meagre" hike of Rs 50 a quintal in the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat for the marketing year starting April, 2014.

Bhartiya Kisan Union (Punjab) president Ajmer Singh Lakhowal said the Centre had played a "cruel joke" on farmers by marginally increasing the wheat MSP for 2013-14 crop year.

He said the Centre had assured of an adequate hike in wheat MSP, and the raise announced has disappointed the state's farming community.

Lakhowal demanded that the wheat MSP be fixed as per the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission report.

"If the Centre fails to revise MSP upward, farmers will be forced to start an agitation against the government," he said.

The Centre yesterday raised wheat MSP by Rs 50 per quintal to Rs 1,400 per quintal.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the hike in wheat MSP as recommended by the Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices (CACP), the government advisory body. The CCEA rejected Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar's proposal to pay farmers Rs 1,450 per quintal of wheat.