Siddaramaiah Flags 'Human Crisis' for Bengal Gram Growers, Urges PM Modi's Intervention

• Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah wrote to PM Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan regarding the severe financial crisis faced by Bengal gram farmers.
• Market prices for Bengal gram have fallen significantly below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 5,875 per quintal, with farmers forced to sell at Rs 4,260-Rs 5,813 per quintal.
• Siddaramaiah termed the price erosion a "human crisis" affecting small and marginal farmers in districts like Dharwad, Gadag, and Kalaburagi.
• He emphasized that failure to procure at MSP erodes farmers' faith in the institutional framework and warned of further price collapse as harvest peaks.
• The CM urged immediate approval for procurement under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) and directed NAFED to operationalize centres, assuring state government's full readiness.

Why It Matters: Siddaramaiah seeks urgent central intervention to address the Bengal gram farmers' crisis due to falling prices.