Indian farmers continue to push for guaranteed crop prices

Tens of thousands of Indian farmers camped out en route to New Delhi on Friday, as they continued to call for new legislation guaranteeing minimum crop prices.

They began their march towards the capital earlier in the week but were confronted by a heavy police presence and were forced to stop around 200 kilometres away.

Meanwhile, agricultural groups went on strike on Friday in a show of support for growers’ demands. Farmers also blocked roads and held protests in the states of Haryana and Punjab.

In addition to seeking a minimum purchase price for all farm produce, rather than just certain essential crops, the farmers want the government to double their income, cancel their loan debt, and drop legal cases brought against them during their 2021 protest campaign.

While several rounds of talks have been held, the two sides are yet to break the impasse. According to local media, a further meeting is scheduled to take place on Sunday.