Farmers in Madhya Pradesh's Harda district called off their nearly 12-hour blockade on the Indore–Betul National Highway (NH-47) late Wednesday night after the district administration assured them that their demands, including 100% procurement of moong, would be taken up with higher authorities.

The protest, led by the Aam Kisan Union, had begun on Wednesday morning and disrupted traffic on the busy highway for several hours. Farmers were demanding complete procurement of moong, the withdrawal of the e-token system for fertiliser distribution, and resolution of pending crop insurance issues.

Talks With Collector Lead to Breakthrough

A delegation of farmer representatives met Harda Collector Siddharth Jain to discuss their concerns in detail. During the meeting, the administration assured the delegation that their demands would be forwarded to senior officials in the Agriculture Department and that efforts would be made to facilitate a meeting between farmer representatives and the Chief Minister.

Following the assurances, farmer leaders agreed to suspend the indefinite agitation.

Highway Traffic Restored

Aam Kisan Union member Dinesh Lega said the organisation decided to withdraw the blockade after receiving positive assurances from the administration.

With the protest ending around midnight, traffic movement on National Highway-47 resumed, restoring connectivity on the important Indore–Nagpur four-lane corridor.

The prolonged demonstration had led to significant disruption for commuters and transport vehicles throughout the day.

Farmers Pressed for Procurement and Fertiliser Reforms

The protesters maintained that farmers are facing difficulties due to delays and uncertainty in moong procurement, while the e-token system for fertiliser distribution has made it difficult for cultivators to access agricultural inputs on time.

They also demanded quicker settlement of crop insurance claims, arguing that delays continue to affect farmers already dealing with erratic monsoon conditions.

Support From Villages Across the District

The agitation witnessed participation from a large number of farmers who travelled from different villages across Harda district to support the movement.

Farmer organisations stated that they would closely monitor the administration's response and future government action. They indicated that if the promised steps are not implemented, further protests could be considered.

For now, however, the blockade has been suspended, bringing relief to commuters while shifting the focus to the government's response to the farmers' demands.