A delegation of the All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC) met Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday and categorically stated that Ethanol is a big opportunity for the farming sector, provided its policy is farmer-centric and the correct price of the crop reaches the farmer directly. Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan carefully listened to all the suggestions of the farmer leaders and, while giving his guidance, assured that the Central Government will take the farmers’ views on Ethanol seriously. Shri Shivraj Singh said that farmers are like God for him and the doors of Krishi Bhavan are always open for farmers.

Farmer leaders from across the country speak openly on Ethanol at Krishi Bhavan

At Krishi Bhavan in New Delhi, a delegation of AIKCC met Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The delegation included farmer leaders from Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and other parts of the country. The main focus of the meeting remained on Ethanol, farmers’ income, MSP (minimum support price), markets and the National Agriculture Policy. However, the farmers clearly said that they are in favour of Ethanol; they only want that the real benefit of this programme reaches the farmer and not only companies or middlemen.

What farmers said in favour of Ethanol

During the meeting, the farmer leaders made their stand on Ethanol clear and said that with Ethanol, the produce of the field will not remain limited only to the mandi (market), but will reach petrol pumps and the energy market. This will create a new and strong market for farmers. When Ethanol is made from sugarcane, maize, rice and other feedstocks, farmers will get more buyers and the problem of crop spoilage or storage will reduce.

The farmers said that they are not against Ethanol but are fully in its support. However, it is necessary that proper prices of any crop, whether maize or sugarcane, reach the farmers. The farmer representatives said that they want an Ethanol policy to create a new path for farming and not become a new worry for them. They said they are with Ethanol, if Ethanol also is with them.

‘It is necessary to clear misunderstandings on Ethanol’ – Farmer leaders

During the meeting, several farmer leaders said that confusion is being spread on social media and some platforms in the name of Ethanol – sometimes by saying that it damages vehicles, sometimes by saying that it harms farmers. The farmers demanded that the Union Agriculture Ministry and farmer organisations together clearly explain which crops will benefit in what way from Ethanol and how a shift can be made from water-intensive crops towards drought-tolerant crops. They said that to reach the young generation, it is necessary to show the correct picture of Ethanol through reels, short videos and ground-level meetings.

Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan listened to suggestions and gave guidance

Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan listened carefully to the farmers throughout and kept asking questions in between to understand the ground situation. He said that the thought process of the Central Government is clear – the benefit of the Ethanol programme should reach the entire chain, from the field to the fuel tank, but the largest share should go in the interest of the farmer. Shri Shivraj Chouhan said that Ethanol will strengthen the country’s energy security as well as the farmers’ pockets. Our emphasis is on ensuring that no crop and no state faces injustice.

Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan gave the assurance in the meeting that the policy will be reviewed to maintain the balance of prices and demand of maize, rice, sugarcane and other feedstocks. Decisions will be taken only from the point of view of farmer interest, especially the benefit of maize farmers. Through the scientific studies and technical reports available on Ethanol, the negative narrative will be answered, and fact-based dialogue will be carried forward together with the farmers.

Farmers’ views, Minister’s guidance – Message of partnership

At the end of the meeting, the representatives of AIKCC said that they will take this message to the villages that the confusion regarding Ethanol will be broken on the basis of facts and ground experience, and the process of making policy in the interest of farmers will be strengthened by working together with the government. Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan also gave a clear message that farmer organisations are not opponents of the government but partners in policy. He said that we have carefully listened to the farmers’ views on Ethanol; now our work is to create such a framework on the basis of these suggestions in which the farmer, the country and energy – all three become strong.

The AIKCC delegation included National President of AIKCC and former MP from Bharatiya Kisan Union (Mann) Shri Bhupinder Singh Mann, National Vice-President of AIKCC and President of National Association for Farmer Producer Organisations (NAFPO) Shri Binod Anand, National Vice-President of AIKCC Shri Gurusahib Singh Mann, National General Secretary of AIKCC and trainer of Shetkari Sanghatana (Sharad Joshi), Maharashtra Shri Gunwat Patil, Member of AIKCC and National General Secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Union Mann and President of Kisan Union Mann (UP) Shri Ajay Anmol, Member of AIKCC and Vice-President of Shetkari Sanghatana (Sharad Joshi), Maharashtra Shri Lalit Bahale Patil, Member of AIKCC and National General Secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Union Mann (Haryana) Shri Balraj Singh Sandhu, Member of AIKCC and President of BKU Mann (Haryana) Shri Surjit Singh Mani Gurjar, Member of AIKCC and State Vice-President of BKU Mann (Haryana) Shri Jugnu Rana, Member of AIKCC and State General Secretary of BKU Mann (Haryana) Shri Manphool Singh, Member of AIKCC and President of Vyamalan Kisan Sangathan (Tamil Nadu) Shri V. Manikkam, Member of AIKCC and President of Kisan Jagaran (Telangana) Shri Sugunakar Rao, Member of AIKCC and President of BKU Mann (Chandigarh) Shri Balwant Singh Nadiyali, Member of AIKCC and Spokesperson of Shetkari Sanghatana (Sharad Joshi), Maharashtra Shri Dinesh Sharma, Member of AIKCC and President of Malwa BKU Mann Shri Balveer Singh, and Member of AIKCC Shri Shivaraj Singh.

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RC/MS/MK