Farmers leader Sharad Joshi will go on an indefinite fast from May 10 here in support of the demand for a minimum wheat support price of Rs 615 per quintal.
Joshi, who is also a Kisan Coordination Committee member, on Thursday criticised the Centres decision to import wheat while not increasing the support price. hailing from Maharashtra, the farm leader has been camping in Punjab and Haryana for the past one month to press for higher support price. Describing Union agriculture minister Chaturanan Mishra as anti-farmer, he said: The problem with our agriculture minister is that he neither understands agriculture, nor is he good at his arithmetics.
He pointed out that the country has to spend a minimum Rs 1,100 in importing every quintal of wheat.
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Joshi dismissed reports that farmers in Punjab did not respond to the boycott call of mandis, but said later Yes, I admit the response has not been overwhelming as I had expected.
Joshi said The Union agriculture minister keeps bringing up his favourite topic -subsidies for farmers. Here we want to make it very clear that the Indian farmer does not need subsidies, he needs only remunerative prices for his produce. Moreover, the farm subsidies are pocketed by the rich farmers only. Therefore, remunerative prices of agriculture produce are vital for the small and marginal farmers of the country.
Meanwhile, in a show of solidarity, thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra have gathered here to press their demand.