SKM to hold protests in Delhi and UP on November 26
The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha plans demonstrations against central and state government policies regarding fertiliser supplies and paddy procurement.
The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), Uttar Pradesh, will hold protests at district headquarters and in Delhi on November 26 to oppose anti-farmer policies. The decision was made during a state council meeting in Lucknow on Wednesday, according to the Hindustan Times.
SKM central leaders P Krishna Prasad and Ashish Mittal stated that the demonstrations will target the central RSS-BJP government and the Uttar Pradesh double-engine government. Farmers from National Capital Region (NCR) districts are expected to lead the protests in Delhi.
The union leaders alleged that a black market for fertilisers and rising economic pressures are hurting farmers. They claimed that the state government is obstructing fertiliser supplies through strict land documentation requirements, noting that urea is being sold for ₹400 instead of the fixed ₹270, and DAP is selling for ₹1,800 instead of the mandated ₹1,400.
The SKM also criticised the government's paddy procurement strategy. While Uttar Pradesh paddy production is estimated at 21 million tonnes, the leaders said the government has capped procurement at 6.5 million tonnes.
The organisation alleged that administrative barriers and registration hurdles allow middlemen to thrive, forcing small farmers to sell produce at roughly ₹1,500 per quintal. This is lower than the government-declared Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹2,441 per quintal, which the SKM says results in a loss of about ₹30,000 per acre.
The SKM is demanding that paddy be procured from all cultivators, including tenant farmers and sharecroppers, without restrictive conditions. They are also seeking a sugarcane price of ₹600 per quintal and a full debt waiver for farmers and agricultural labourers.