Just 5% outlay on agri, no increase in MSP: Farmers

Jaipur: Farmer leaders and groups in Rajasthan are not pleased with the Union Budget for 2026-27, pointing out that it neither mentions any increase in minimum support price (MSP) nor any legal guarantee for procurement of crops at MSP. National president of Kisan Mahapanchayat, Rampal Jat, said the Budget appeared to be more concerned with capital expansion for corporates than with the welfare of farmers.
"The budget does not resonate with the realities of rural India. Farmers are being misled through repeated references to high-value crops such as cashew, almonds, coffee and cocoa, while the ground situation remains vastly different," he said.Highlighting budgetary figures, he said out of the total Rs 53.47 lakh crore outlay, only Rs 2.84 lakh crore (5.31%) was allocated for agriculture and allied sectors, despite nearly 75% of the population dependent on them.Jat said demand-driven growth cannot be achieved unless purchasing power is placed in hands of consumers, especially farmers. He recalled that during the implementation of Seventh Pay Commission, the govt argued that increasing the income of govt employees would boost economic activity."If raising the income of 5% of the population can stimulate the economy, why can't increasing the income of 75%?" he asked.Subash Sehgal, a farmer leader from Sriganganagar, said, "Where will farmers in Sriganganagar or Kota grow cashews? The soil here produces wheat and soya bean. Everyone eats wheat every day, yet no one is willing to ensure fair prices for it. Cashews sound good in speeches, but stomachs are filled with wheat." Raising the issue of crop losses due to extreme weather events, Suraj Chaudhary, a farmer from Sultana village in Jhunjhunu, said farmers expected at least an announcement on crop insurance. "Our fields were wiped out in minutes by rain and hailstorms, but that pain did not even find a mention in the Budget speech," he said.