Windfall for farmers as Chhattisgarh’s paddy politics paves way for increased production, higher returns

The newly elected government offers Rs 3,100 per quintal, which triggers procurement of 144.92 lakh metric tonnes of paddy produced in the kharif season Raipur, Chhattisgarh: Farmers’ march to Delhi to ensure minimum support price (MSP) for their produce is fresh in our minds, but the government in Chhattisgarh recently surprised everyone by offering a much higher price for paddy than what was recommended by the Swaminathan Commission. Prior to last November’s Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had pledged to buy paddy from farmers at Rs 3,100 per quintal. Following its election win, in December, the government also decided to offer Rs 19,257 per acre as a deficiency payment to paddy growers.The preceding Congress government had ensured Rs 2,500 per quintal, and an additional Rs 10,000 per acre of paddy under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana.Jeevraakhn Dhruv (67), a resident of Matka village in Chhattisgarh's Bemetara district, never imagined that his paddy would fetch such a lucrative price. He sold approximately 170 quintals to the government once the hike in payment came into effect last month.Jeevraakhn Dhruv fetched a lucrative price for his paddy (Photo - Vandana Agrawal, 101Reporters)Besides the MSP of Rs 2,183 per quintal fixed by the Centre, Dhruv got an additional amount of Rs 1,57,357 under the Krishi Unnati Yojana on March 12. "Many household works are pending. This money will be used to complete them," he says.Like Dhruv, 1.54 lakh paddy growers in Bemetara district have been paid a total of Rs 854 crore. At the state level, 24.72 lakh paddy farmers have received a total of Rs 13,320 crore so far this year.According to the last agricultural census of 2015-16 in Chhattisgarh, the number of farmer families in the state is 40,10,772. Of them, the number of farmers having less than one hectare of land is 24,34,321 and those with one to two hectares is 8,79,477.  Indra Kumar, a farmer from Abhanpur in Raipur district, has less than half a hectare of land. This year, he sold 20 quintals of paddy. "Generally, paddy is sold in the open market at Rs 1,200 to 1,500 per quintal. However, the government is purchasing it at Rs 3,100, which is almost double of what is offered in the open market. I have decided to get the house repaired using the money received," he says.Workers packing paddy (Photo - Vandana Agrawal, 101Reporters)Bonus over the yearsDuring the BJP's tenure in 2013-14, Chhattisgarh took the initiative to provide farmers a bonus of Rs 300 per quintal over and above the then MSP of Rs 1,310 per quintal. This continued in the next two fiscals as well. However, in the last two years of its rule, the government did not provide the bonus.Riding high on its Rs 2,500 per quintal promise, the Congress won a majority in 2018 to form the government. Its implementation motivated farmers to produce more paddy. As per the state government data, from 15,77,332 registered farmers selling paddy  in 2017-18, their numbers increased to 25,93,000 by 2022-23. Similarly, the area under rice cultivation increased from 24.46 lakh hectares to 31.17 lakh hectares during that period.  According to the agriculture department's data, the state government procured 56,88,347 metric tonnes of paddy from farmers in 2017-18. However, this figure nearly doubled to 1,07,51,858 metric tonnes in 2022-23. This made Chhattisgarh, a significant contributor to the central pool, occupy the second position in the country in terms of paddy contribution.The purchase of paddy at prices higher than MSP incentivised farmers in the state to grow more paddy instead of other crops. However, they did not pay attention to millets and other crops due to market scarcity, low prices and low yields.In 2023-24, the Central government announced an MSP of Rs 2,183 per quintal for common grade paddy and Rs 2,203 for A grade paddy. The BJP in Chhattisgarh then promised to purchase paddy for Rs 3,100 per quintal, provided it returned to power. The party also promised to purchase 21 quintals of paddy per acre from farmers.In Chhattisgarh, farmers with all facilities produce 30 to 40 quintals of paddy per acre, but the government does not purchase the entire production. It buys 21 quintals per acre. For example, if a person has four acres and he/she produces 160 quintals of paddy, the government will buy only 84 quintals from him/her.Once it came to power last December, all the records of paddy procurement in Chhattisgarh were broken. The state government procured 144.92 lakh metric tonnes of paddy produced in the kharif season of 2023-24 from 24,72,310 farmers. This was approximately 26% higher compared to the previous kharif season."Our government has fulfilled the promise. We have transferred Rs 13,320 crore into the accounts of farmers in the month of March. We have proven our words," Chhattisgarh Agriculture Minister Ramvichar Netam tells 101Reporters.The newly elected government offers Rs 3,100 per quintal (Photo - Vandana Agrawal, 101Reporters)Bouquets and brickbatsFarmer leader Anand Dewangan explains that MSP for paddy procurement nationwide is currently set at Rs 2,183 per quintal, calculated by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) using the A2+FL formula. Here, A2 represents the direct expenses incurred by farmers in crop production, while FL stands for the imputed cost of family labour.“If MSP was calculated using MS Swaminathan's formula, which includes comprehensive costs [C2] plus 50%, the price of paddy would be Rs 2,886.50 per quintal for kharif 2023-24. But in Chhattisgarh, farmers are getting more than even this.”Farmers in favour of paying higher prices than the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission argue that the paddy procurement initiatives had a positive impact on their livelihoods. They say that procurement based on MSP assures farmers of a minimum income for their produce, reducing their financial risk. Increased procurement activities contribute to rural development by boosting agricultural income and stimulating economic growth in rural areas. Arvind Netam, a former union minister of state and tribal leader, tells 101Reporters that paddy growers were given Rs 2,500 per quintal by the previous Congress government of Bhupesh Baghel before the present hike. At that time, it was the highest in the country, except for Kerala. "This time also, farmers knew very well that paddy will be a political card for political parties. That was why paddy cultivators were confident about their future in Chhattisgarh," he notes.However, agricultural experts have expressed concerns about the potential risks associated with buying paddy at elevated prices. They acknowledge that farmers have warmly welcomed the substantial increase of nearly Rs 1,000 per quintal in deficiency payment, but paradoxically, it poses a significant burden to the tune of Rs 12,000 crore on the state's economy.Dr Sanket Thakur, an agricultural scientist, tells 101Reporters that every sector has seen a rise in remuneration over the past 70 years, except agriculture. Despite the advancements in services and production, agriculture has not experienced proportional compensation, leading to decades of injustice towards farmers. This hike in remuneration is not only crucial for Chhattisgarh's farmers, but is also deserved by farmers across the nation.The Centre has already said that paying above MSP is not its policy. If any state overrules this, then the Centre will not purchase its rice for the central pool. Thakur explains that Chhattisgarh has borrowed Rs 12,000 crore to meet the requirements of the incentive amount, which is being distributed under the guise of deficiency payment since it contradicts the Central government's policies. However, the money ultimately comes from the government coffers. Therefore, from an economic standpoint, this approach is not favourable for the state's economy.Pointing towards the other potential dangers, Thakur says the increased returns have encouraged farmers to focus solely on paddy production, which could have adverse effects from a climatic perspective. “Monoculture is detrimental to soil quality, and crop rotation is a more sustainable farming concept. Additionally, the cultivation of paddy in summer requires substantial water resources, which can exacerbate water scarcity. Furthermore, the overemphasis on paddy cultivation threatens crop diversity, leading to nutritional deficiencies in the long term. Overall, this paddy incentive scheme may have unfavourable implications for the economy, climate and ecological balance,” he predicts. Edited by Rekha Pulinnoli Cover Photo - Women working at the field (Photo - Vandana Agrawal, 101Reporters)

Paddy Farmers in C'garh: Caught in the fire of political rivalry?

For 52-year-old Brijmohan Dewangan buying a motorcycle, while managing a family of six, remains a dream. Dewangan, a resident of Chhura village in Gariaband district of Chhattisgarh, had planned to buy a motorcycle with the money he would get from selling paddy crop this year. However, owing to untimely rains, the harvested paddy remained in the field. The harvested crop under the open sky started rotting and as the grains turned black from the moisture, Dewangan came to know that the state government would be buying the paddy from December 1 at minimum support price (MSP). However, he is unsure of what the price would be owing to the ensuing battle between the state and central government on the MSP.People like Brijmohan are countless in the ‘Rice Bowl of India’, where the paddy farmers are getting increasingly worried. Over 19 lakh farmers had registered to sell their produces at MSP in the current crop cycle, according to data from the state agriculture department. Before the Assembly elections in 2018, Congress had promised to buy paddy at the MSP of Rs 2,500. The central government buys about half of the rice released from the paddy that the state government buys from the farmers. However, distraught with the purchase of paddy at an increased price, the central government has reduced the quota for rice procurement this time.Dewangan lamented the delay in the buying of the crops, which was supposed to start by November 15 but was extended to December 1 due to the disagreement between the state and Centre, and stated that unless the conflict is resolved, he will be in a lot of trouble. Farmers affectedTill last year, the Centre was buying 24 lakh metric tons of rice from Chhattisgarh, which the state government was demanding to increase to 32 lakh tons. However, instead of increasing the purchase quota, the central government has reduced it to 11 lakh tons.After the Centre's refusal, the state is mulling over options to utilise the leftover paddy. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, while addressing the media on November 17, revealed that plans to produce ethanol were discussed. He added that he has met the Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, and requested him to grant permission to produce ethanol for ten years.  Agricultural expert Dr Sanket Thakur stated that owing to the untimely and heavy rainfall in October, the farmers were bound to harvest the crop before time. Without storage facilities, the harvest is rotting in the fields for over a month while the farmer continues to amass great debts just to keep feeding his family. He added that owing to the high-interest rates and the pressure to repay loans, farmers are selling paddy for as low as Rs 1,200 per quintal.Sunil Bhaskar, 56, a paddy farmer from Abhanpur in Raipur district, who came to sell paddy at the government mandi situated at Pandri in Raipur, highlighted that due to the immediate want of money, he is selling the crop even after taking a loss as the government will start purchasing paddy at MSP only in December and even after that, the money will take time to be credited into his account.Subhau Verma, 46, a paddy farmer from Arang area in Raipur district, stated that he has harvested his paddy crop, but owing to the lack of storage facilities, he has to sell it at a low price in the open market.BJP vs CongIn 2013, after coming to power in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had written to former prime minister Manmohan Singh demanding Rs 2,100 as the increased MSP, as promised by the BJP during the election campaign. At the time, the Centre had expressed its inability to offer the amount.The 2018 election saw a similar promise by Congress flatly refused by the BJP in the Centre. In a conversation with 101Reporters, CM Baghel stated that the anti-farmer face of the BJP is seen across the country. “BJP should clarify its opinion on the issue, whether it is in favour of purchasing paddy from the farmers of the state at a support price of Rs 2,500 or not. Secondly, when the central government had purchased paddy last year, why is it not being done now,” he argued.He pointed out that he had written letters to the Centre, and the reply he received stated that the purchase of paddy for Rs 2,500 will upset the market, while he claims that it will boost the state economy. He asserted that if the farmer becomes strong, then it’ll have a positive effect on the market and alleged that the BJP is retracting from its promise. Several states in the country get their coal for the power plants from Chhattisgarh. In order to increase the pressure on the Centre, state Congress leaders are threatening to stop the supply of coal if their demands of purchasing paddy at MSP is not met.State revenue minister Jai Singh Agrawal, at a press conference on November 12, hit out at the Centre and threatened to stop the supply of coal.Before that, state Congress chief Mohan Markam on November 8 had indicated that the state government is trying to put pressure on the central government by talking about stopping the coal supply.Congress is also preparing to hold a big demonstration in state capital Raipur with the farmers to demand the purchase of paddy for Rs 2,500 by the Centre. At the same time, Congress will also go to Delhi with the farmers to protest against the anti-farmer policies of the central government. Farmer leader Anand Mishra, a member of Chhattisgarh Krishak Biradari, told 101Reporters that the PM Modi government had already promised to fix the MSP based on the recommendation of the Swaminathan Committee. However, he pointed out that the central government has not revised the prices in the state for six years. “Now if the central government is refusing to buy farmers' paddy from Chhattisgarh, then it is like committing fraud,” he stated.Caught in the blame game, the state BJP leaders are attacking Congress for turning their back on their promise.Former chief minister Raman Singh, while addressing the media on November 16, stated that the Congress had mentioned in the election manifesto that it would buy paddy for Rs 2,500 per quintal, but now the Congress is ignoring the issue. “Congress didn’t fix the MSP of paddy after the consultation with the Centre. In such a situation, if the central government has refused to buy paddy, then the state should purchase paddy from its resources,” he added.

In Chhattisgarh villages, friendship Is deep-rooted tradition

Come August 4 (Friendship Day) promises of lifelong friendships will be made, selfies will be posted and is slated to be a busy day for social media users celebrating the festival.From centuries, Chhattisgarh also has a rich tradition of friendship—called Mitaan— but no social media glue is required for a strong true bond to last you for life. In a world saturated with BFFs (Best Friends Forever) and friendship bracelets, these Chhattisgarhi villagers hold their friendship to such high standards that it can put even familial ties to shame. Mitaan translates to ‘friend’ in the local tongue. The procedure of befriending someone is called Mitaan badna. Interestingly, the friendship is not only between two people, but also the families are involved. A male friend is called Mitaan, while a female friend is called Mitaanin. While there is no fixed day to celebrate this, sometimes they choose Akshaya Tritya to indulge in the festivities. While this tradition doesn’t follow the boundaries of age, caste or race, friendship can be initiated only between members of the same gender owing to the social barriers. There are various rituals to help you become a Mitaan—Bhojli, Mographool, Gangajali, Daunapaan, Mahaprasad, Tulsi, Jawara and Godna (tattoo) are the most followed ones. Bhojali: On the seventh day of the holy month of Saawan (according to the Hindu calendar), the sown paddy crop—known as bhojali—is first worshipped and is then immersed in a waterbody, a day after Raksha Bandhan. The new friends put these small stems over each other’s ear as a symbol of their everlasting friendship. Mographool: It is very similar to Bhojali and instead In the same manner, sometimes woman place mogra—jasmine—over each other's ear. This is common among women.Gangajal: Gangajal or holy water of the Ganges is shared with one another in this ritual. Daunapaan: In this ritual, a leaf of nagdauna—tarragon—is given. It's a show plant having medicinal values and snakes stay away from its surroundings. The other friend gives Kewra—extract from the male flowers of a screw-pine tree in exchange. Kewra is known for its fragrance, and snakes are known to be attracted by their scent. Mahaprasad: The prasad—devotional offering to God—of the famous Jagannath temple in Puri is shared. Tulsi: As part of the Mitaan badna, this ritual employs the usage of Basil or tulsi leaves. Janwara: Navaratri festival is celebrated twice in a year. On the ninth or tenth day, the wheat crop is worshipped and then offered to a flowing water body. In between, these nine days, the tender stems of the wheat crop is worn as an accessory on the ear. Godana: Chhattisgarh is famous for their tattoo culture, and in this ritual, the name of your Mitaan/Mitaanin is tattooed over the wrist. Transcends all barriersWhile there are other ways like Gajamoong, Genda phool, these are variations of the classics. After the ritual, the friends are not supposed to call each by their names, but by the ritual. If one uses holy Ganges water, they will call each other Gangajal. You can also address each other as Mitaan or Mitaanin. Mamta L, a resident of Kanker district, said she befriended her next-door neighbour with the help of Mahaprasad from Jagannath temple. She was warned against using their original names and would have to offer holy coconut to right the error. “We have strong family bonding with them. They are invited to all occasions. Even my grandmother Kusum has continued her friendship with her Gajamoong Mitaanin."Sometimes, a friendship bond is created to end the dispute between two people. When the friendship is initiated due to the resemblance of physical features, it is called Sahnam.Neelmati, a housemaid from Bilaspur, said the relation between friends is eternal. “During difficult times, the relatives may forget you, but Mitaan or Mitaanin cannot abandon you. The kids of Mitaan are just like your own kids. In Chhattisgarh, a husband and wife get separated easily, sometimes on trivial issues. But its strange, that in the same state, this tradition converts a non-blood relation into an eternal one,” she added.Pradeep Sharma, a member of the Brahmin community, said his Mitaan, Tuleshwar Markam, is a member of the Gond tribal community. “My father’s Mitaan was from Dewangan community, and my grandfather’s Mitaan was from Kurmi community. So this tradition is above the caste system,” he said.