Moong row: Farmers to sue over ‘toxic’ label

Bhopal

In Madhya Pradesh, a major dispute over moong (mung bean) procurement has triggered unrest among farmers. The state government has reportedly declined to purchase moong, citing its contamination due to toxic herbicides like paraquat and glyphosate. These chemicals are used by some farmers to speed up crop drying but are said to harm the soil, environment, and public health.

A government press note dated May 8 quoted agricultural expert Dr. Vijay Singh Tomar, who warned about the impact of these herbicides. This led to a sharp drop in moong prices, adding to farmers’ distress. Shivkumar Sharma, National President of Rashtriya Kisan Majdoor Mahasangh, announced plans to file a court petition against labeling moong as toxic.

The state government has yet to begin procurement at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), currently set at ₹8,768 per quintal. Farmers are instead being forced to sell at ₹5,000–₹6,200, suffering losses up to ₹2,000 per quintal.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has proposed alternate solutions such as involving private traders and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to boost mandi competition. He also mentioned reducing mandi fees and granting new licenses. However, recent talks with farmer unions like the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh yielded little progress.

Despite small protests in areas like Gadarwara and Pipariya, the rainy season is limiting large-scale demonstrations. Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has assured that the Centre will procure moong if the state government formally requests support under the Price Support Scheme.