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.

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.