Farmers’ outfits urge MPs, MLAs to speak out against trade deals; seek scrapping of all FTAs

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a coalition of approximately 500 farmer organizations, has written to all MPs and MLAs, urging them to speak out against proposed trade deals. The SKM has highlighted the "deep agrarian, economic and social distress" currently faced by farmers and workers. The group demands that all Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) be repealed, including the proposed India-United States FTA.

They also seek the enactment of an Act that guarantees a minimum support price for all crops, as recommended by the National Farmers Commission, headed by M. S. Swaminathan, along with guaranteed procurement for all crops. The SKM is also calling for a comprehensive loan waiver to alleviate rural indebtedness and prevent peasant and daily worker suicides, along with a compensation of ₹25 lakh for each suicide victim.

Other demands include scrapping the four Labour Codes, a minimum wage of ₹31,000 for all workers, restoring the MGNREGA to mandate 200 days of work and a wage of ₹700, and withdrawing several draft bills, including the Electricity Bill, the Seeds Bill 2025, and the draft National Food Security Act. The SKM argues that FTAs will result in the economic colonization of India, allowing the import of agricultural products, capturing food processing markets, and altering cropping patterns, which will harm food self-reliance.

Alleging a duopoly of Adani and Leap India in the Food Corporation of India, the SKM claims that 77.5% of grains will be controlled by the two companies. The group asserts that they are committed to resisting this corporate takeover of agriculture and will fight to protect India's self-reliance and sovereignty.