Latest news with #NationalPolicyFrameworkonAgriculturalMarketing
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Farmers, workers rally in Mysuru against ‘corporate takeover' of agriculture
Scores of farmers and activists under the banner of Samyukta Horata Karnataka took to the streets of Mysuru on Wednesday, protesting what they called a systematic 'corporate takeover' of agriculture, rural markets, and public services. The rally, jointly organised by the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), Karnataka Pranta Raitha Sangha (KPRS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and several allied organisations, began with a march through the city and culminated in a public meeting. The organisers alleged that the plight of the working class had become difficult under the current dispensation which was pursuing the policy of promoting both communalism and encouraging corporate culture. Mr. Jagadish Surya, of KPRS said both the Union and State governments were actively enabling multinational corporations (MNCs) and large domestic corporates to dominate every stage of agriculture — from seed production to procurement, storage, transport, and retail trade. The Samyukta Horata Karnataka activists called for abrogating National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing citing concerns that it was an attempt to help the multinationals. The agitating activists also warned that such policies would privatise farming, push small cultivators into debt, and weaken national food sovereignty. The protesters strongly opposed the corporatisation of farmers' producer organisations (FPOs), contract farming arrangements, and public–private partnership (PPP) models in agriculture. They argued that such policies undermine traditional farming practices, marginalise smallholders, and increase dependency on corporate-controlled supply chains. Other key demands raised by SHK legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and assured government procurement of crops; complete waiver of farm loans, relief from microfinance companies while it opposed forcible land acquisition from farmers, and privatisation of power sector etc. The Samyukta Horata Karnataka activists raised slogans against the government and demanded that the MNCs 'quit India'. CITU general secretary G. Jayaram, and others were present.
The Hindu
21-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Farmers' outfits raise call to burn effigies of Modi, Trump, Vance as mark of protest against trade treaty
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella organisation of several farmers' outfits, gave a call on Monday (April 21, 2025) to burn the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, United States President Donald Trump and U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance at all district headquarters as a mark of protest against alleged attempts by the U.S. to 'coerce' the Union government to 'impose unfair trade terms and to dump U.S. agricultural products' on India. The SKM general body, which met in the national capital on Sunday, said in a statement that the the U.S.'s aims to get unregulated access for their food chains, trading giants and agribusiness corporations to operate in India. 'Tariff-free import of huge quantities of highly subsidised milk and milk products, soybean, cotton, wheat, rice, pulses, oilseeds, genetically modified crops, fruits and vegetables, processed and canned foods into Indian markets will devastate the income and livelihood of Indian peasantry,' the SKM said. The farmers' body added that the Trump administration had been putting pressure on the Modi government to wind up the public distribution system and withdraw all subsidies for farmers on fuel and fertilizers. 'It wants India to change its patent laws to suit American companies. These changes will erode the independence of Indian farmers and bring disastrous impact on food security of Indian people,' the statement said. The district-level meetings of the SKM seek to highlight the impact of the U.S.-India bilateral trade agreement and the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing. The SKM general body also decided to work in coordination with the trade unions, agricultural workers unions and MGNREGA workers unions for the success of a general strike of workers on May 20 against the four Labour Codes. The SKM meeting also decided to launch specific campaigns, including mahapanchayats, in Bihar ahead of the Assembly election to defeat the National Democratic Alliance in the State. 'SKM all India leadership will attend the campaign,' the release added.
