SKM to protest against decision to use corp silos as procurement centres

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political), which has been staging a protest on the Punjab and Haryana borders since February 13 demanding the legalisation of Minimum Support Price (MSP), has decided to stage a rail roko andolan in Shambhu border on April 9 and a nationwide rally on April 7.

The group, along with the old-SKM, will also hold demonstrations on Sunday against the decision to declare private silos as wheat procurement centres in Punjab.

The move will make grain markets redundant, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha said, adding that they will burn effigies of both the central and Punjab government over the issue on April 7.

Apart from SKM (Non-Political) and KMM, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which spearheaded the 2020-21 farmers' agitation against the now-repealed farm laws, earlier announced that it will hold protests over the issue on April 9.

The Punjab state government, in its order on March 15, had declared 11 silos, being managed by private companies, as purchase centres in view of the Rabi marketing season that started on April 1.

A steel silo is a scientific way of storing food grains and ensures better preservation in comparison to conventional storage warehouses. A silo can also act as a purchase centre where farmers can bring their crops for sale.

SKM (Non-Political) and KMM are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march by farmers to press the government to accept their demands, which includes a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.

The protesting farmers who have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana after their march was stopped by security forces on February 13, have also demanded the release of five arrested farmers by the Haryana police.

Addressing mediapersons here on Tuesday, SKM (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal condemned the decision to declare corporate silos in nine districts as procurement centres for wheat storage in Punjab.

He said the Punjab government has “acted at the behest of the Centre”, claiming this was an attempt to make the 'mandis' (grain markets) redundant.

KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pandher accused the AAP government of trying to please corporations by allowing the sale, purchase, and storage of wheat at private silos.

Pandher said he had “no doubt” that it was a central government policy but added that the state government could have stopped its implementation.

He urged farmers to not bring their crops to these silos for sale.

Both leaders also demanded the release of five farmers including Ravinder Singh Ravi, Amarjit Singh, both from Punjab, who were arrested during the ongoing protest.

Pandher said they will burn effigies of the Modi government and the Bhagwant Mann government on April 7 over the issue.

If their demands to rollback the decision on corporate silos and the release of the five farmers were not accepted by April 7, then they will hold a ‘rail roko' agitation on April 9, Pandher said. The protestors alleged that the government has cut off electricity from the protest sites to force them to end their agitation.

Isma asks govt to allow 1 mt sugar export in 2023-24

The Indian Sugar and Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (Isma) has demanded that in view of the reversal in the domestic supply scenario and predictions of normal monsoon in 2024, the government should allow export of one million tonnes of sugar in 2023-24 season, ending in September. Isma said that export demand has been met after carefully analysing the domestic demand and supply scenario, including requirement for ethanol blending.

ISMA said that till March 31, 2024 around 30.02 million tonnes of sugar has been produced which is almost at the same level as last year at 30.07 million tonnes.