Indian farmers agreed to meet the government over the controversial farm law

[caption id="attachment_6080" align="aligncenter" width="1014"] File photo of farmers taking part in a protest against farm bills passed by India's parliament. December 17, 2020. Inset: Farmers protest in Delhi. Picture: Collected[/caption] Indian Farmers Union leaders agreed to meet the minister on Tuesday (December 29, 2020). Probably paved the way for the seventh round of talks with the government, which has so far failed to eradicate farmers. They say three new agricultural laws threaten their livelihoods. Worried over farmers’ round-the-clock sit-ins on the outskirts of New Delhi, the government of Prime Minister Narendra had on Thursday invited protest leaders to further talks. Farmers’ unions still insist they want the laws repealed, a coalition of unions called Samyukta Kisan Morcha said on Saturday in a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. The government says the laws, which came into force in September, will unshackle farmers from having to sell their produce only at regulated wholesale markets. It argues farmers will gain if large traders, retailers and food processors can buy directly from producers, bypassing antiquated wholesale markets. But tens of thousands of farmers have camped out on national highways demanding the government withdraw the laws that they fear will eventually dismantle regulated markets and stop the government buying rice and wheat at guaranteed prices. Find more... Source: Online/SZK