India admits IIOJK farmers forced to sell crops below cost, suffer losses
New Delhi: The Indian government has formally admitted that farmers in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir are being forced to sell their agricultural produce at rates below the cost of production, causing serious harm to their livelihoods.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the revelation came in response to a Starred Question in the Indian Lok Sabha, where Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan acknowledged that despite hikes in Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) since 2018-19, many farmers—especially in IIOJK—are unable to access or benefit from the scheme.
MPs Satpal Brahamchari and Chandra Prakash Choudhary raised the issue of farmers in Jammu and Kashmir and Indian states like Haryana and Jharkhand being compelled to sell crops at unsustainable prices. In a written reply, Chouhan admitted that small landholdings, weak post-harvest infrastructure, and fragmented markets in IIOJK have hindered farmers’ access to procurement under MSP.
Kashmiri farmers, already reeling under occupation-induced economic stress, continue to face systemic neglect and market exploitation. The Indian regime’s failure to implement meaningful support mechanisms in the territory further exposes the discrimination faced by farmers in the occupied territory.
