Criticising the government for importing wheat at higher prices in 2006 and 2007, a resolution passed by a national seminar on emerging agriculture scenario and Indian farmers, organised by the Bharatiya Krishak Samaj, has said that the Centre should have purchased wheat from local farmers by raising the MSP.
The farmers also demanded the MSP for paddy be raised to Rs 1,000 a quintal and that of wheat to Rs 1,600 a quintal. Expressing concerns over the government?s apathy towards the increasing incidences of suicides committed by farmers Bharatiya Krishak Samaj president Krishan Bir Chaudhary demanded reversal of the anti-farmer policies.
The resolution called upon the government to remain firm at the WTO negotiations in the interests of the farmers in the developing countries.
The developed countries should drastically cut their farm subsidies and tariffs as a pre-condition for future negotiations, ?We hear that Britain and France has recently proposed that India should be a member of G-8. The government before taking any decision should clarify whether it would continue to fight for the poor small and marginal farmers in the WTO or behave in the interests of the European Union and the US ,? the resolution said.