Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Farmers’ anger over the Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana erupted on Thursday as they shut down the Laxmi Nagar grain market in protest, bringing auction activities to a complete halt for nearly five hours.
The protest was triggered after traders allegedly formed a syndicate to deliberately lower crop prices, particularly soybean, which saw a sharp decline in just one day.
According to farmers, soybean that sold for Rs 4200 per quintal yesterday was being offered below Rs 4000 today, prompting outrage across the market.
The farmers stormed the mandi premises, raising slogans against the scheme and accusing the government of ignoring their hardships. Despite repeated appeals by officials, the auction resumed only late in the evening after hours of deadlock.
Leaders of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, including Bablu Jadhav, Ramswaroop Mantri, Chandansingh Badwaria, and Shailendra Patel, condemned the Bhavantar scheme, calling it anti-farmer and pro-trader.
“This scheme is not designed to protect farmers it’s a mechanism that benefits traders. Farmers are being denied fair prices for their produce while middlemen and merchants pocket the profits,” the leaders said in a joint statement.
