Hans News Service Bhopal

TheMadhya Pradesh government on Wednesday agreed to procure 60 per cent of the moong crop from eligible farmers, extended the procurement deadline and suspended the e-token system for fertiliser distribution pending a review, prompting agitating farmers to call off their protest in Bhopal. The announcement came after talks between representatives of the state government and farmer leaders at the state secretariat, hours after thousands of protesters marched to within about a km of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s residence after staging a demonstration outside Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s house.

In an official statement, the government said it had decided to increase procurement from each eligible farmer from the existing 25 per cent to 60 per cent of the moong crop in the larger interest of farmers. The decision will take immediate effect for farmers producing around three quintals of moong per acre in districts such as Narmadapuram, Sehore and Harda, it said, adding that efforts would be made to extend the benefit to the maximum number of cultivators.

The government also extended the last date for procurement from August 10 to August 20 and the slot-booking deadline from July 30 to August 10. State Agriculture Minister Aidal Singh Kansana said a committee would be constituted to examine complaints and practical difficulties relating to the e-token system for fertiliser distribution and recommend improvements. Till the committee submits its recommendations and necessary changes are carried out, the e-token-based fertiliser distribution system will remain suspended with immediate effect, he said. Some farmer leaders initially maintained their demand for procurement of 100 per cent of the moong crop at the minimum support price (MSP) and said a final decision would be taken after consulting all stakeholders and that the agitation would continue.