(Reuters) – India’s government is open to amending some provisions in new farm laws, the agriculture minister said on Thursday, after farmers rejected proposed changes to the controversial laws they said would harm their interests and help big food retailers.
Farmers have been demonstrating since late last month over reforms enacted in September that loosened rules around the sale, pricing and storage of farm produce, which had protected farmers from an unfettered free market for decades.
“The government is open to amend objectionable provisions in the new laws,” Narendra Singh Tomar told reporters, adding the current system of procurement that ensures state-set prices for crops would continue.
(Reporting by Manoj Kumar; Editing by Alex Richardson)
