Farmers ending protest as Haryana govt agreed to pay MSP for sunflower seeds: Rakesh Tikait

Kurukshetra (Haryana) [India], June 13 : Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on Tuesday announced to end of their protest after the state government agreed to pay the minimum support price or MSP for their sunflower crop.

"We are ending our protest. The blocked roads will be opened today," Tikait said.

"We were protesting so that our crops are purchased at MSP. We will keep fighting for MSP across the country. Our leaders will also be released soon. Cases filed against our leaders will be taken back," he further said.

Meanwhile, while addressing Farmer leader Karam Singh Mathana said that the Haryana government has agreed to their demand for implementation of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 6,400 for sunflower seeds.

"The major issue of MSP is still not solved but our meeting with the Government was successful. Today, the government has agreed to fulfil our demand," he said.

Kurukshetra DC Shantanu Sharma said the Haryana government has always stood in support of the farmers

"The Haryana government has always stood in support of the farmers. CM has agreed to increase MSP for sunflower crop," Kurukshetra DC added.

Earlier Kurukshetra SP Surinder Singh Bhoria appealed to the farmers to stop their protest.

"We have appealed to the farmers to stop this protest. The Haryana government and police are standing with the farmers. We expect that the protest will end soon," Kurukshetra SP said.

The farmers from Haryana and neighbouring states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh among others gathered at the Pipli grain market and claimed that the government was not buying sunflower seeds at the minimum support price.

As a result, they were forced to sell their produce to private buyers at around Rs 4,000 per quintal against Rs 6,400 MSP.

Haryana farmers took to the streets near Shahabad on June 6 afternoon and blocked the Delhi-Chandigarh national highway demanding a minimum support price (MSP) for sunflower seeds. The protest call was given by BKU (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni.