Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that the central government is engaging with farmer leaders to decide on the next date of talks, in a situation where the unions intensified their agitation against the Centre’s three farm laws and observed a day-long fast on Monday. “The meeting will definitely happen. We are engaging with farmers,” Tomar told the reporters. 

He added that the government is ready for discussion anytime. The farmer leaders have to “decide and convey” when they are ready for the next meeting. Since the beginning of the protest Tomar is leading the negotiations with 40 farmer unions, along with Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce and Industries Som Parkash. Previous five rounds of talks between the Centre and 40 farmer unions’ leaders have concluded without a satisfying decision. 

The government has sent a draft proposal along with written assurance of continuing the minimum support price (MSP) system to them for consideration, but farmer unions have rejected it and demanded repeal of the laws. The government says the new laws will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country. The protesting farmers say that the new farm laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandis, pushes the farmers at the mercy of big corporates.

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