Thousands of farmers staged a major protest in Madhya Pradesh's Harda district on Wednesday, blocking the Indore–Nagpur National Highway to press for the complete procurement of summer moong at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), expansion of procurement centres, and payment of pending crop insurance claims.

The protest, organised under the banner of the Aam Kisan Union, saw nearly 5,000 farmers sitting on the highway near Chhoti Harda village, where tents were erected and a sit-in demonstration began around noon. Farmer leaders, however, claimed that more than 20,000 farmers from across the district were expected to participate in the agitation.

The highway blockade disrupted traffic between Harda and Indore, forcing authorities to implement diversions for both light and heavy vehicles. Commuters faced long delays, although protesters allowed ambulances and school vehicles to pass uninterrupted.

Farmers Demand Full MSP Procurement

The protesters demanded that the government procure 100 per cent of the summer moong crop at MSP, increase the number of procurement centres, and release pending Kharif 2025 crop insurance payments.

Farmers alleged that the government is currently purchasing only 25 per cent of the harvested moong, leaving the majority of produce unsold.

According to the protesters, procurement has been capped at around three quintals per hectare, compared with 10–12 quintals per hectare in previous years, despite higher production this season.

Farmer Ganesh Patel of Temagaon village said the government's policies had forced cultivators to leave their fields and protest on the roads, warning that farmers would respond through the ballot box if their demands remained unaddressed.

Heavy Security Deployed

The district administration deployed around 500 police personnel to maintain law and order during the protest.

Superintendent of Police Shashank said additional forces had been brought in from Narmadapuram, Raisen, Betul, Indore and Chhindwara, while continuous patrolling was being carried out along the protest site and adjoining stretches of the national highway.

Collector Siddharth Jain, the SP and other senior officials inspected the arrangements before the demonstration began.

A brief confrontation occurred when officials initially objected to farmers setting up tents on one side of the highway. The situation was later resolved after discussions between the protesters and SDM Ashok Kumar Dehariya.

Traffic Diversions Implemented

The blockade prompted authorities to divert traffic through alternate routes.

Heavy vehicles travelling between Indore, Harda, Khandwa, Narmadapuram and Betul were rerouted through designated diversion corridors, while two-wheelers and light vehicles were advised to use local rural roads.

The traffic police appealed to commuters to avoid unnecessary travel near the protest site and follow diversion advisories.

Procurement Figures Under Scrutiny

According to the Agriculture Department, 39,892 farmers in Harda district have registered to sell moong at MSP.

Officials said that between July 1 and July 15, procurement had been completed from 839 farmers, amounting to 733.9 metric tonnes, while 6,020 farmers had booked procurement slots.

Farmer organisations argue that these figures reflect slow procurement and inadequate purchasing capacity, resulting in financial losses for cultivators.

The highway blockade continued through the afternoon, with farmers reiterating that the agitation would continue until the government accepts their demands.