The massive and peaceful protest movement by farmers against farm bills of the Central Government at a time when they are supposed to be in the fields for post harvesting works is historic in many ways, namely for the scale, determination and non-violence quality of the protest.The Government which initially appeared adamant had displayed flexibility and even agreed to amend the laws to safeguard MSP and APMC and Mandi system. The farmers apprehend that the new farm laws will weaken the MSP and the APMC structures and throw them at the mercy of private players.
The Kisan wing of BJP before the party came to power used to demand full implementation of Swami Nathan Committee report which dealt with remunerative MSP and easy access to inputs for sustainability of the farming system. But now, some of the recommendations are ignored by the NDA after assuming power.
The new farm laws have vitiated the agro-atmosphere of the country. The one-upmanship attitude and agenda driven policy of the Central Government in taking policy decisions without prior threadbare discussions on the objectives and the consequences invites situations like the present one.
Agriculture is a State subject but the States were not consulted in formulating the law. Agro scientists available in 70 agro universities spread over the country could have been associated in framing the farm laws that concerns 70 per cent of India’s population.
Before enacting the laws if the Centre had consulted the farmer bodies, perhaps the present situation would not have occurred which naturally fueled suspicion among the farmers since they are the real stakeholders.
Every State has huge market infrastructure which have grown and stabilized over the years and are close to farm gates and easily accessible and accountable to farmers which are under the administration of the local agricultural marketing committees. The activities of the APMCs are under close supervisions of Agriculture, Horticulture and Cooperative department officials which are easily accessible to farmers in which voice of farmers has a dominant role in such bodies because of locational position and close proximity between them.
The RMCs being nearer to farm gates, the farmers had strong bargaining power with regard to price and marketing place which they apprehend would be troublesome with weakening position of the APMCs and Mandis.
The farmers holding small holdings would easily become vulnerable to various market pressures and there is possibility that the corporate houses may exploit small farmers under pre fixed pricing term in contract farming, depriving them of higher price in post harvest situations under the present criteria of contract farming.
If private players in mining and coal sectors are regulated, why not in agri-sector touching 70 per cent of population? The new farm laws facilitate marketing without any licence and anyone with a PAN card can act as a trader to purchase agro produces directly from the farmers which in reality may give rise to multiplication of middlemen between the corporate sector and the farm gate.
These laws would virtually turn APMCs irrelevant and lose their existence. Small and marginal farmers would suffer in dispute resolution process due to inequity between the two contractual parties that is private players and small farmers. Farming is never a capitalistic enterprise which is a people oriented vocation deeply rooted in socio cultural life of the society. Creating proper cold storage network for safe preservation of produces of perishable nature and improving transport connectivity from farm gate to market area and reducing cost of inputs was need of the hour, not corporatization.
If there are middlemen in APMC structure there would be more middlemen of invisible nature under corporatization and it would be difficult to rein in them.Our farmers may be poor or lack educational qualifications but they have expertise in handling marketing of their produce.
The Centre would have done well by strengthening available infrastructure by bringing further improvements like transportation and cold chain for safe preservation of such agro produce in its role of a facilitator for post harvest managements by planning at least one cold storage in each Block on the basis of quantum of production of horticulture and vegetable produces which are perishable in nature, in order to prevent their wastage during high productions and preventing their distress sale.
Corporate houses, private investors and private players could be engaged to build such cold chains and food value chains in suitable areas, since farmers cannot create such provisions due to lack of technical expertise, fear of maintenance cost and poor return.
Onions at peak sessions are sold at Rs 10-15 at farm gates and the middlemen who collect and preserve for off sessions, sale back at much higher price. The other thing what the Centre ought to have taken care of is about making MSP remunerative.
The movement of the farmers has given another opportunity to review on the need of making a comprehensive agro policy to bring more area under cultivation, by making easy availability of modern equipment, water, power, banking finance, fertilizer, seed, fuel etc as 50 per cent of land in India is still dependable on monsoon and the cost of inputs is beyond the reach of small farmers.
Agriculture has every potential to increase country’s GDP and generate employment. The Centre would do well to leave the subjects to the States by playing the role of a facilitator to ensure remunerative MSP and developing interState transport and infrastructure for food value and cold chain. Hope both sides will show their sagacity to resolve the ongoing problem in the greater interest of public.
(The writer is a former Deputy Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly and a former Member of the State Planning Board, Ph: 9437412877. pandarcp@gmail.com)