Farmers protest delayed MSP payments for jowar in Ballari
The All India Kisan Khet Mazdoor Sangh has demanded immediate payment of outstanding dues to Ballari farmers who supplied jowar under the Minimum Support Price scheme. The organisation said some farmers had waited three months, leaving them short of money for loans, household expenses and the next crop.
Farmers’ representatives protested in Ballari on Saturday over delayed payments for jowar procured by the government under the Minimum Support Price scheme, demanding that outstanding dues be transferred without further delay. The Ballari district committee of the All India Kisan Khet Mazdoor Sangh staged the protest near the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Its members submitted a memorandum addressed to the Union government and Karnataka’s Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs through the Additional Deputy Commissioner.
AIKKMS district president Govind said farmers had not received payment even three months after selling their jowar to the government. He said the delay had caused financial difficulties, affecting farmers’ ability to repay agricultural loans, prepare for the next crop and meet household expenses. Govind questioned the decision to use procured jowar for distribution through the public distribution system while leaving farmers’ payments unsettled.
He demanded that the entire pending amount be credited to farmers’ bank accounts immediately. AIKKMS State committee member E. Hanumanthappa said farmers across Karnataka, including those in Ballari, were facing severe hardship amid drought conditions.
He urged the State government to concentrate on people’s problems rather than political disputes. The organisation also called for a permanent mechanism ensuring that payments for agricultural produce bought under the MSP scheme are made within the stipulated period. Hanumanthappa said hamali, or loading and unloading workers’ wages, were also pending and should be released.
He warned that the organisation would intensify its agitation if the dues were not cleared. The source material does not provide the total amount outstanding, the number of farmers affected or a response from the Union or State governments. The protest therefore focused on the timing of procurement payments rather than the MSP rate itself.
Farmers’ representatives said prompt payment was necessary to meet immediate financial obligations and sustain the next agricultural cycle.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.