Indian farmers camped outside the capital New Delhi have rejected a proposal from the national government for a guaranteed price contract for their crops.
The government offered the farmers a five-year contract for guaranteed prices for several crops such as pulses, dry grains, maize and cotton, which would be paid by co-operatives that the government supports.
But protest leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal announced the rejection in a video statement released late Monday, standing by their demands for guaranteed prices for all their crops.
The farmers said they will resume their march on New Delhi on Wednesday.
The march began last week, spearheaded by farmers from the northern states of Punjab and Haryana that are known as India’s breadbasket. The protesters said the government has failed to meet promises it made after they called off a year-long protest in 2021.
Police fired tear gas shells at hundreds of farmers as they marched towards New Delhi, halting the march about 200 kilometers outside the city. Authorities also suspended mobile internet service in some protest locations and blocked social media accounts.
In addition to the guaranteed prices, the farmers also want the government to keep promises it has made to double their incomes, give pensions to farmers and farm laborers and waive loans taken by farmers.
Farmers say agriculture is no longer viable because crop prices have not kept pace with the rising overhead costs such as fertilizer, diesel and seeds. They also say crop yields have become more uncertain due to the growing frequency of extreme weather events.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
