Farmers in Rajasthan’s Didwana-Kuchaman district are urging the government to step up procurement of locally grown crops under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism, citing mounting financial distress.

The region is a major producer of coarse grains such as bajra, along with pulses including chana, moth and moong, and rabi crops like mustard. Farmers say that despite MSPs being announced, only a limited quantity of their produce is actually procured by government agencies. The remaining output is sold in open markets, often at prices far below the MSP.

With the Union Budget approaching, farmers in the district have appealed for stronger price support and wider procurement coverage to protect their livelihoods.

According to a farmer named,Arjun Ram, "We hope that in the upcoming budget, the government will make provisions to procure coarse grains at the MSP. Also, even though moong is procured, only about 20% is bought from farmers, while the rest has to be sold in the open market at lower rates. Therefore, our demand is that a larger budget be allocated for MSP procurement and purchases be made through proper procedure.."

Another farmer stressed that the lack of assured procurement across crops is pushing cultivators into distress.

Meanwhile another farmer Dola Ram says, "We are asking the government to procure all crops, including moong, mustard, chana, and others. Farmers are helpless because when they take their produce to the market, they don't get a fair price. That is why they are distressed."

Farmers argue that their demands are justified, pointing to rising input costs and an inadequate procurement system that fails to offer meaningful economic relief.

"Farming today has become very expensive. Diesel and other inputs cost a lot, urea is either unavailable or comes at a high price. Expenses are rising, while the prices farmers get for their food grains are low. That is why our demand from the government is that MSP rates should be increased and procurement should be done accordingly..", Ram Prakash Godara, another farmer

Others say the benefits of MSP procurement have reached only a few, leaving many farming families struggling.

"My father owns about 27 acres of land, and I have 200 bighas, but we have not received any real benefit so far. Only moong is being procured at MSP, other food grains are not. Our demand from the central government is that farmers should be given benefits and that MSP procurement should be carried out as much as possible. Farmers have been left behind and pushed into poverty, and this would be the biggest support for farmers’ welfare", says another farmer named Om Prakash.

As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to present the Union Budget on February 1, farmers in Didwana-Kuchaman district say they will be watching closely for concrete steps to expand MSP procurement, ensure fair prices, and address their long-standing economic distress.