MP farmers' unrest: State constitutes commission to regulate crop cost, marketing

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government has constituted an authority to make recommendations for providing beneficial pricing and marketing of agricultural produce in the state in the interest of farmers. [caption id=“attachment_3707125” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] “The state government has constituted the Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Cost and Marketing Commission. The commission’s tenure would be of two years. The commission will present three reports every year to the state government before the Kharif, Rabi and summer crop periods,” said a state public relations department officer on Friday. The Commission would make recommendations regarding the cost, beneficial pricing and marketing of agricultural produce, he added. According to officer, the state government orders issued in this connection stated that an experienced person from the agricultural field would be nominated as Chairman of the Commission. Besides, two persons with experience in the field of agriculture related work and agriculture marketing will be nominated as members. Two agriculture economists would also be nominated in the Commission. Ex-officio commissioner of agriculture production and ex-officio Principal Secretary of Farmers Welfare and Agriculture Development department will be government representatives in the Commission. Ex-officio director Krishi Kalyan and agriculture development department will be the secretaries in the commission, the official added. In the midst of farmers’ agitation during the second week of this month, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had made the announcement of constituting this Commission to ensure the better pricing of agricultural produce in comparison of the cost. The agitation had turned violent following the killing of five farmers in the police firing at Mandsaur on 6 June.