Chandigarh: On February 18th, Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda, and Nityanand Rai are scheduled to engage in the fourth round of discussions with farmer union leaders from Punjab in an attempt to address the ongoing impasse. Previous meetings between the two parties have failed to yield a resolution. The most recent meeting occurred on February 15th, following the farmers' march towards Delhi, which was halted by Haryana Police at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders.

Ahead of the upcoming talks, union leader Sarwan Singh Pandher emphasized the need for the Central Government to issue an ordinance guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP). Pandher stated, "The entire country is looking towards PM Modi to gather courage and make firm decisions regarding MSP and loan interest waivers. We are hopeful for positive outcomes from tomorrow’s meeting. While we have not withdrawn our decision to proceed to Delhi, a resolution here would be preferred if the government meets our demands."

Highlighting the importance of MSP guarantees, Pandher noted that farmers currently focus on wheat and rice cultivation due to the lack of price assurances for pulses and oilseeds. He expressed willingness to diversify agricultural production if provided with such guarantees. Similarly, Jagjit Singh Dallwal echoed the call for an MSP ordinance, questioning the government's delay in taking action.

Meanwhile, BKU (Charuni) and BKU leader Rakesh Tikait have pledged support for the ongoing protests, announcing plans for further demonstrations in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Uttarakhand on February 21st if their demands remain unmet.

Amidst the protests, reports indicate a rise in vegetable prices in the national capital. Disruptions in the supply chain, attributed to the ongoing protests, have led to increased costs. A vegetable trader cited disruptions in Punjab's supply chain as a contributing factor to rising prices, emphasizing the need for a swift resolution to the standoff.

However, another trader noted that while there is currently no immediate impact on vegetable prices, prolonged protests could disrupt supplies from regions such as Uttar Pradesh, Ganganagar, and Pune, potentially leading to price hikes.

The farmers' demands include a legal guarantee of MSP, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension provisions for farmers and laborers, debt waivers, no increase in electricity rates, withdrawal of police cases, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act of 2012, compensation for families of farmers allegedly deceased during the 2020-21 protests, among other requests.

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