Punjab Farmers Protest Diesel Price Hikes Ahead of Paddy Season
Farmers fume over diesel price hikes, plan protests
The Times Of IndiaImage: The Times Of India
Farmers in Punjab are protesting a series of diesel price hikes totaling ₹7.5 per litre, coinciding with the paddy transplantation season. The hikes have raised concerns over increased agricultural costs, prompting farmer organizations to plan protests demanding a rollback.
- 01Diesel prices have increased by ₹7.5 per litre in the last 11 days, with the latest hike of ₹2.71 on Monday.
- 02Punjab's agriculture sector, which consumes nearly 50% of the state's diesel, is heavily reliant on fuel for farming operations.
- 03Balbir Singh Rajewal, president of BKU (Rajewal), stated that these hikes overshadow agricultural welfare schemes.
- 04Farmer organizations, including the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, are planning protests to demand a rollback of the price hikes.
- 05The price increases coincide with Punjab's staggered paddy transplantation schedule, starting with direct seeding on May 15.
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Farmers in Punjab are expressing their anger over a recent series of diesel price hikes, which have totaled ₹7.5 per litre over the past 11 days. The most recent increase of ₹2.71 per litre was implemented on Monday, following earlier hikes of ₹3, ₹0.90, and ₹0.91 within the month. This surge in fuel prices comes at a critical time as Punjab gears up for the paddy transplantation season, which is vital for the state's agriculture. Balbir Singh Rajewal, president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) (Rajewal), criticized the government for the hikes, stating they overshadow agricultural welfare initiatives and significantly raise farmers' input costs. With Punjab's agriculture sector consuming nearly 50% of the state's diesel during the kharif season, farmers are particularly vulnerable. Harinder Singh Lakhowal, general secretary of BKU (Lakhowal), questioned the government's previous claims that India would remain insulated from global oil price fluctuations. In response to the price hikes, farmer organizations are mobilizing for protests, echoing sentiments from the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, a coalition of farmer groups nationwide.
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The diesel price hikes are likely to significantly increase the operational costs for farmers in Punjab, impacting their profitability during the critical paddy season.
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