India’s government again failed on Saturday to cut a deadlock with farmers

India’s government again failed on Saturday to cut a deadlock with farmers demonstrating against newly passed agricultural reforms and will meet again on Wednesday, the agriculture minister and union leaders declared.

Thousands of Indian farmers have protested against the laws, which they say endanger their livelihoods, by camping on the borders of the capital New Delhi and obstructing major highways.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government maintains the new laws are anticipated to improve obsolescent procurement systems and give farmers more further opportunities to sell their product.

“Farmers made it apparent to the ministers that they want the government to abolish the laws,” Jagjit Singh Dhaliwal, a senior farmers’ leader, announced after five hours of talks on Saturday.

Agriculture and farmers’ welfare minister Narendra Singh Tomar said to journalists that discussions would continue on Wednesday, adding the government is bound to farmers’ welfare and is keen to review and examine the issues proposed.

Led by powerful farming groups from the grain-producing states of Haryana and Punjab, the demonstrations are an examination of Modi’s capacity to reform the agricultural sector.

Agriculture makes up almost 15% of India’s $2.9 trillion economies and employs about half of its 1.3 billion people.

Farmers fear the law will ultimately destroy India’s managed markets and stop the government from purchasing wheat and rice at assured prices, leaving them to negotiate with private buyers.

They are calling for the government to repeal the laws and retain mandatory government purchases, among other demands.