Delayed payments cause distress among moong farmers in Madhya Pradesh

A new challenge has emerged for moong farmers in Madhya Pradesh as large number of farmers are yet to receive payments for their summer moong crop sold at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Despite the state government’s earlier assurances of releasing payments within seven days of procurement, many farmers have been waiting for over a month to receive their dues.

Bhagwan Meena, a farmer from Sehore district and founder of the Kisan Swaraj Sangathan, told Rural Voice that his payment has been pending for nearly one and a half months, and he is not alone— large number of farmers are in the same situation. "The livelihood of the farmer depends entirely on farming. If the payment for the crop is not made on time, how will the farmer feed his family and prepare for the next crop?" he questioned, urging the government to ensure timely payments.

Kedar Shankar Sirohi, President of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Kisan Cell, mentioned that there are about 10 lakh moong farmers in the state, out of which half have not been paid yet. Sirohi criticized the government for not meeting its promise of making payments within 3 to 7 days and warned that prolonged delays could push farmers to take to the streets in protest. 

The procurement process for moong in Madhya Pradesh has been marred by multiple challenges from the start. Farmers initially struggled with restrictions on the amount of moong they could sell per hectare and per day. The situation worsened due to technical glitches in the software used for slot booking, leading to significant delays. When procurement was prematurely halted, farmers organized protests, forcing the government to extend the purchase period. However, persistent software issues continued to disrupt the process, preventing many farmers from selling their crops at the MSP.

The delay in payments is now creating serious financial strain on farmers, who are struggling to sustain their livelihoods and prepare for the upcoming cropping season. Farmers and their representatives are demanding swift action from the government to address the issue and deliver the promised payments without further delay.