Executive Summary:
The Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare addressed demands from Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) through Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3769 on August 12, 2025. The response details the government's actions regarding SKM's demands, including the formation of a committee on July 12, 2022, to address Minimum Support Price (MSP), natural farming, and crop diversification. The response clarifies the roles of state governments regarding the withdrawal of cases related to farmer protests.
Key Points / Main Content:
Committee on MSP, Natural Farming, and Crop Diversification:
* A committee was formed on July 12, 2022, comprising stakeholders, to consider suggestions for making MSP more effective and transparent.
* The committee aims to give more autonomy to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and make it more scientific.
* The committee focuses on strengthening the Agricultural Marketing System to ensure higher value to farmers, considering domestic and export opportunities.
* The committee considers suggestions for programs and schemes for value chain development, protocol validation research and support for area expansion under the Indian Natural Farming System.
* The committee aims to make Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and other Research & Development institutions as knowledge centres and introduce natural farming curriculum.
* The committee suggests farmer-friendly alternative certification and marketing systems for natural farming.
* The committee aims to suggest methods for international coordination to strengthen the value chain development of natural farming.
* The committee will create a chain of laboratories for organic certification of products produced through natural farming.
* The committee aims to map existing cropping patterns of agro-ecological zones and create a strategy for diversification.
* The committee will arrange for an agricultural diversification system to ensure remunerative prices for the sale of new crops.
* The committee will review and suggest improvements to the micro-irrigation scheme.
* Six meetings of the committee have been held, along with 39 sub-committee meetings.
Minimum Support Price (MSP):
* The government fixes MSP for 22 mandated agricultural crops based on CACP recommendations and the views of State Governments and Central Ministries/Departments.
* The aim is to ensure a minimum of 50 percent profit margin on the cost of production for Kharif & Rabi crops.
Withdrawal of Cases Related to Farmer Protests:
* State Governments are responsible for law and order, including decisions on registering and withdrawing criminal cases.
* Details of such cases are maintained by State Governments and are not centrally maintained.
Impact Analysis:
Stakeholders: Farmers
Impact: The policy aims to make agriculture more sustainable and profitable through effective MSP mechanisms, promotion of natural farming, and crop diversification.
Action Required: Farmers may need to adapt to new farming techniques, diversify crops, and engage with the proposed agricultural marketing systems.
Stakeholders: State Governments
Impact: State Governments are responsible for maintaining law and order and managing the withdrawal of criminal cases related to farmer protests.
Action Required: State Governments need to continue managing law and order and maintain records of criminal cases, including withdrawals.
Stakeholders: Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)
Impact: The committee aims to give more autonomy to the CACP and make it more scientific
Action Required: Provide recommendations to the committee on making MSP more effective and transparent.
Stakeholders: Research and Development Institutions, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Universities and other educational institutions
Impact: Institutions will act as knowledge centres and introduce natural farming curriculum.
Action Required: Develop and implement curriculum and skill development courses related to natural farming systems.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: The Indian government ministry responsible for agriculture and farmers' welfare.
Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM): A coalition of Indian farmers' unions that led protests related to agricultural policies.
Minimum Support Price (MSP): A price set by the Indian government to purchase crops from farmers, aimed at protecting them from market fluctuations.
Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP): An advisory body that recommends minimum support prices for agricultural commodities in India.
Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK): Agricultural extension centers in India, intended to disseminate agricultural technologies and practices to farmers.
Indian Natural Farming System: A method of chemical free farming
State Governments: The governments of the individual states within India, responsible for law and order, and decisions regarding criminal cases within their respective states.
Kharif Rabi crops: The two main crop seasons in India. Kharif crops are sown during the monsoon season (June–July) and harvested in the autumn (September–October). Rabi crops are sown in winter (October–November) and harvested in the spring (March–April).
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3769
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12TH AUGUST, 2025
DEMANDS OF SKM
3769. SHRI RAJA RAM SINGH:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण मं(cid:287)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) the status on the demands stated in letter dated on 9/12/2021 to SKM whereby the
Union Government agreed upon the five demands put forth by the SKM;
(b) the current status on the agreement put forth by the Union Government under the
letter dated on 9/12/2021, along with details of the formation of committee proposed under
the letter also the recommendations of the committee on legalising MSP;
(c) whether SKM has been part of the proposed committee, if so, the details thereof and if
not, the reasons therefor;
(d) the details of action taken reports on the cases withdrawn against the individuals
participated in Farmer’s protest along with list of cases still pending for withdrawal against
those participated in Farmers Protest, State-wise; and
(e) the status on Government status on withdrawal of cases under its ambit according to
the agreement?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य म(cid:287)ं ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) to (c): Requests, demands and suggestions received from stakeholders received by the
Government are considered by the Government for appropriate action. With reference to
the demand letter received from Samyukt Kisan Morch (SKM), Government constituted a
Committee on 12.07.2022 comprising of stakeholders.
Government has undertaken various policy reforms, developmental programmes and
schemes to make agriculture, sustainable and more profitable profession. These inter-alia
include increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all Kharif & Rabi crops ensuring a
minimum of 50 percent of profit margin on the cost of production.
Every year Government fixes MSP for 22 mandated agricultural crops based on the
recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP), after
considering the views of State Governments and Central Ministries/Departments
concerned.To make MSPs more effective and transparent, a committee has also been
constituted on 12th July 2022. The subject matter of the committee includes:
A. Minimum Support Price (MSP)
1. Suggestions to make available MSP to farmers of the country by making the system
more effective and transparent.
2. Suggestions on practicality to give more autonomy to Commission for Agricultural
Costs and Prices (CACP) and measures to make it more scientific.
3. To strengthen the Agricultural Marketing System as per the changing requirements
of the country to ensure higher value to the farmers through remunerative prices of
their produce by taking advantage of the domestic and export opportunities.
B. Natural Farming
1. Suggestions for programmes and schemes for value chain development, protocol
validation & research for future needs and support for area expansion under the
Indian Natural Farming System by publicity and through involvement and
contribution of farmer organizations.
2. To suggest strategies for making Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) and other Research
& Development institutions as knowledge centres, and introduction of natural
farming system curriculum and skill development courses in the Universities & other
educational Institutions.
3. To suggest farmer friendly alternative certification system and marketing system for
natural farming processes and products.
4. To suggest methods and means for international coordination to strengthen the
value chain development of natural farming.
5. Chain of laboratories for organic certification of products produced through natural
farming.
C. Crop Diversification
1. Mapping of existing cropping patterns of agro-ecological zones of producer and
consumer states.
2. Strategy for diversification policy to change the cropping pattern according to the
changing needs of the country.
3. Arrangement for agricultural diversification & system to ensure remunerative prices
for the sale of new crops.
4. Review and suggestion on micro irrigation scheme.
6 meetings of the committee have been held. Additionally, 39 meetings of various sub-
committees have also been held.
(d) & (e): State Governments take care of law, order in the respective States, and take
decisions for registering / withdrawal of criminal cases and records on such cases are
maintained by them only. Details of such cases are not maintained centrally.
*****