Farmers Victimised Or Normalised

The Farm Bills 2020

The main problems of the farm bills have been the “MSP” aspect, Firstly, let me explain to you these two bills:

1. The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020– This Bill allows the farmers to sell their produce outside the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) regulated markets. The APMCs are government-controlled marketing yards or mandis. So, the farmers clearly have more choice on who they want to sell.
2. The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020– This Bill makes provisions for the setting up of a framework for contract farming. The farmer and an ordained buyer can strike a deal before the production happens.

Why are Farmers Upset?

Since the time government introduced these bills, farmers (mainly from the highest farming produce states; (Punjab & Haryana) have shown protest against these bills. According to the farmers, after these bills, the prevalent robust system which was prevalent regarding buying and selling of crops: “MSP” will fade away. Whereas the BJP says that only 6% of farmers are getting the benefits of MSP.

23 agricultural crops have MSPs, while the governments primarily buy only rice and wheat. Farmers fear the two recent bills as they feel these agriculture reform processes will kill the government procurement process as well as the MSP. And why d we see most protesters from Punjab and Haryana? That is because they are the biggest beneficiaries of this safety net.

Difficult Answer: Simple Question

Have Indian farmers been beneficiaries or victims of vote bank politics? – What would be the answer to this question– interesting right? Let us try to understand both sides of the story.

India is a diverse country not just in terms of different religions but the variety in food as well, and that diversity comes from different food grains grown in the fields across India by our hardworking and resilient Farmers’ daily farming attitude. India, being a country of Cultural Diversity, its areas of Punjab & Haryana have been the most beneficial farming states when it comes to availability of Food Grains which then after processing reaches the different parts of the country.

These Resilient and hardworking farmers not just today, but for a long period have been the victims of Vote Bank Politics, the fact cannot be ignored that since the time politics have been started to interfere by the means of Vote Bank into the agricultural sector, either the farmer suicide cases have been risen or the income disparity.

We can’t deny or have any problems while quoting  “India is a country, known as agricultural capital of the world” not only that but India is the world’s largest producer of dairy, pulses, and jute. When it comes to “rice, wheat, sugarcane, vegetables, fruit and cotton ”- India, is the second-largest in the world. Not Just the above-mentioned procurements but India is also one of the largest producers of Spices, poultry, and livestock.  I have no Qu amps in saying that India is the largest producer for the basic requirements of food and related products in the world and all the credit goes to the resilient farmers. India has definitely set a mark when it comes to Productivity of not just for us but the entire world, but are we really concerned about these farmers, are the farmer’s victims of the politics, we have in India.

The Answer

The answer to this Question is “Un-Fortunately” these life-saving people who are directly connected with the 3 Course meals for Billions of people on the planet are being victimized by the vote bank politics in India.

Irrespective of the parties, the rates of farmer Suicide rates have been in steep increase, with each party challenging to improve the situation, farmers continue to increase financial burdens on them, be it the MSP- Mandi System or the middleman policies.  

Vote Bank Politics have been continuously affecting not just the peace and harmony of people but the lifestyle of these farmers too. The situation becomes even worse when the policies such as “MSPs” continue to get misused, and the actual benefits are reaped only by the middlemen and not the actual farmers.

The situation of Farmers in the country have never been in a stable position, in fact, the rising prices of the grains are an example of “Farmer Exploitation”, this exploitation further increases when a “10 rupee crop becomes 150 rupees for the consumer”.  

Situation

Sadly, the situation never improved even to date.  The need of the political system for any country is to perform as beneficiaries and not the reason of victimization for any arm but sadly, the victimization aspect of Politics is true when it comes to the agricultural sector or mainly the farmers. If we see the current situation where farmers are agitating, becomes a perfect example of victimization of these farmers, all these years the government’s intention may or may not be to harm the interests or exploits them but politics have been doing the same irrespective of the part for years.

Seeing the farm bills of 2020, they will definitely have an impact on the MSP system and Mandis and will even remove them from the systems especially after Government decides to privatize the game and remove the middlemen. Removal of Middle Man seems to be one of the finest solutions but also keeping in the existing system will safeguard the interests of farmers and prevent them from being victims of “ Private Players” after being off the politicians for years.

Protests have been a rightful decision in a democracy, and if the system continues to utilize the “Water Canons and Tear gas” on Farmers then it’s nothing else than exploitation or expression of power. If a nation wishes to achieve the goal of Sustainably, all these goals can’t be met without the efficient and effective interests of not just the farmers but everyone.  

The situation definitely did not start with an Intention to exploit farmers after the introduction of MSPs to safeguard the interests but with a matter of time, the situation worsened. Before Seeing India in the better positions of the global indices, Interests of contributors like Farmers needs to be protected by taking them into confidence and not by utilizing them as “Victims of Vote Bank Politics” – A place where even a bottle of water is being Taxed seems to be far from such reality of achieving Global Indices.

What are MSPs ?

Minimum Support Price is a concept which helps the government by intervening with the sharply falling prices of any commodity in the market. The main objective of Minimum Support Price (MSP) is to avoid losses of farmers by helping them regulate a minimum level of price at which a commodity can be purchased by the agents who purchase from farmers or which the government offers to buy. Minimum Support Price (MSP) system sets up a floor price to a commodity which gives a minimum price below which it cannot be purchased by the farmers. Let’s see some advantages and dis-advantages of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system if adopted by the government as an alternative for loan waiver schemes.

Advantages

Surety of minimum prices

The concept of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system acts as a surety to farmers so that their crops get a fair amount for their products and helps them sustain their losses and does not affect them drastically. This helps them cover the minimum amount of expenses in cultivating the crops and pay off the debts which they have.

Fair price shops

The government can use these crops to be sold at government fair price shops at a price lower than the market rate. This will also help the government in making these crops available to the below poverty line people at a lower price. This will also help the government recover some amount and reduce the losses the government.

Disadvantages

Effect on small and medium scale farmers

According to studies, most of the drought affected farmers are small and medium scale farmers. These farmers do not procure loans from financial institutions. They prefer loans from private money lenders which are not covered under these schemes. In fact farmers who produce on large scale are often seen getting rid of their debt with the help of these schemes.

Killing of competition

Any interference by the government kills the competition. This affects the agents who procure the crops at lower prices and sell them at higher prices and earn profits. This mainly disturbs the working of people who sell these outputs from farmers into the open market.

Questions in Farmer’s Mind

1. Now you all must have remembered the case where Farmers in Gujarat faced a fine worth 1 Cr by Lays after growing a special variety of potato. Who will safeguard the rights of farmers in case privatization even comes to the procurement? {Case was taken back later but under Social Media Pressure)
2. The fact can also not be ignored that incase “Open Markets” will create Monopolies, then where will farmers opt, in case of absence of MSPs & Mandis?
3. Why will “Pvt Players” sign a contract, if they know about the other Mandis or MSP system (if the government is guaranteeing that these will not eradicate)?

Can & Should

According to my opinion, both systems of “MSP-Mandis” and “Open Market” are essential for the farmers to prevent private forces and their long-term monopolies. But this also has another side to the story, if such things remain and included in the laws, why would players in Open Market determine or quote a fair price.

Conclusion

Farmers’ peaceful protest, is somewhere or the other the reason for the communication gap between both the parties. According to the BJP, they act like Beneficiaries, on the other hand, Farmers believe the explanation angle to the story and the situation. Where after Haryana and Punjab, Mumbai farmers are also joining the protest, it is yet to see, what happens after a round of talks.

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/what-is-the-farm-bill-and-why-are-farmers-protesting-against-it/689215

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