The Centre on Monday announced that the procurement of rice across the country would begin two days ahead of schedule. The crop’s purchasing usually begins on October 1.

The government’s decision is being seen as a signal to farmers who are strongly protesting the new farm laws. The Centre had already advanced the procurement dates in Punjab and Haryana – two states where the protests are particularly intense.

“The procurement of Paddy during Kharif Marketing Season 2020-21 has just started from 26th September, 2020 and upto 27.09.2020, 5,637 MT [million tonne] having MSP [Minimum Support Price] value of Rs. 10.53 crore at MSP of Rs 1,868 per quintal has been procured from 390 farmers of Haryana and Punjab,” the government said in a statement. “The procurement of paddy for the remaining States will commence from 28.09.2020.”

Last week, the Centre had also hiked the minimum support price for wheat and five other crops by up to 6% in an attempt to allay the concerns of farmers, according to PTI. The minimum support price is an agricultural product price fixed by the government to make direct purchases from farmers.

Protests continue

Karnataka, Punjab, Delhi and Tamil Nadu witnessed widespread protests against the new laws on Monday.

The protests in Karnataka were most intense in Bengaluru. By noon, thousands of farmers had gathered outside Town Hall in the city. Other groups of farmers blocked roads across the city until they were asked to move by the police.

In Delhi, a tractor was set on fire at the India Gate by a group of Congress workers protesting against the farm laws. Five demonstrators were arrested. The Delhi Police detained Congress leader Anil Kumar and other workers during a protest at Rajghat.

Congress MP from Kerala TN Prathapan filed a plea in the Supreme Court against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020. His petition alleged that two of the three laws passed by the government were unconstitutional. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also said that he would approach the top court against the new laws.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, meanwhile, asked states ruled by her party to pass legislations to override the Centre’s farm laws.

Centre’s defence

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said on Sunday that the laws do not hurt farmers. Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Tomar had held consultations with all stakeholders such as farmers and other MPs before introducing them in Parliament, Sitharaman said, adding that Opposition parties were now doing a disservice by protesting against them.

Sitharaman had announced these agricultural reforms on May 15 as part of the Atma Nirbhar fiscal and monetary package to revive the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. The bills were then promulgated as ordinances in June and rushed through Parliament in September.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi , meanwhile, said that farmers in India now have the power to sell their produce wherever they get the best price and to anyone they want. In his monthly radio programme “Mann Ki Baat”, the prime minister also spoke about removing the Agricultural Produce Market Committee or APMC in Maharashtra and said that it has helped the farmers of the state.

The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill were cleared by Parliament last week amid protests from the Opposition. President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to the bills on September 27, after which they became laws.

Critics say that these new agricultural policies would lead to farmers losing out on guaranteed purchase prices for their crops, to the benefit of large corporations.