Page 11 - Tehelka Issue 14E

AGRICULTURE

stakeholders. Of the 14 crops-paddy, cotton, Mehma Serja, district Bhathinda,
Among all the variables, crucial bajra, maize, ragi, tur,moong, urad, told that he sold his moong crop
in the food production and manage- sunflower seed, groundnut, soya- last week for `4,600 per quintal
ment in our country of 130 million bean, sesamum, nigerseed, jowar- against the MSP (KMS 2017-18) of
people, farmers occupy the most bajra would fetch an MSP close to 6,161 per quintal at a grain mar-
important position. C2+50 per cent criterion as the MSP ket in Jagraon near Ludhiana. The
So let’s start with farmers- their had been hiked by 525 per quintal revised price of Moong (KMS 2018-
struggle for right to remunerative yielding a return of 96.5 per cent 19) is 6,975. “Who will give us as
price and the occasional responses over cost. The highest per centage per the revised MSP when we are
of the respective governments – increase in MSP over previous years not getting even the last year’s
that too to earn political mileage to is for ragi (52.47 per cent) followed MSP?” He has no hope to earn
woo the electorate. by jowar hybrid (42.94 per cent). remunerative price on crops other
The rural households, predomi- The MSP of paddy (Common) than wheat and paddy as the pro-
nantly engaged in agriculture and that is expected to cover maximum curement system is fragile. Brar
allied activities, are politically and number of farmers has been revised laments that he chose to pursue
economically important and can by 200 per quintal (from 1550 per agriculture over a lucrative job
catapult the fortunes of political quintal last year to 1750 per quintal after completing his post-gradua-
parties. tion. He pursued agriculture with
According to year 2011 census, The MSP a passion but his income level has
of the 121 crore Indians, 83.3 crore been dwindling; at the same time,
(68.84 per cent) live in hinterland revision issue his peers in other professions
while 37.7 crore stay in urban areas. is of paramount have a regular income with a
These figures make it clear why the growth graph year-on-year. The
rural voters become apple of eyes significance rate of land lease has to go through
for the political parties during the as it not only the roof and those who cultivate • Farming policy Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised MSP by 4-53 per cent across all agri-commodities for kharif in 2018
election countdown. In the current on leased land find it difficult to
situation, the massive losses faced affects farmers sustain.
by the Bhartiya Janata Party in Lok Most of the farmers interviewed and rest of them run from pillar to dent of All Gujarat Cotton Ginners
Sabha and Assembly by-polls held but also suits told that their experiments with post to dispose of their produce. So Association told that increase in
during May this year took wind out the incumbent horticulture crops and diversifying MSP is not an answer to India’s Ag- There is an urgent farmers’ income is beneficial for the
of sails of BJP that had not recov- to cereals met with a complete fail- riculture crisis, he added. need to augment entire economy but the intermedi-
ered from the shock of dismal out- political alliance ure as there are no takers at the re- Let’s take a look at the prepara- aries in the commodity market are
come of the Gujarat Assembly elec- munerative prices. Nafed (National tion of the Government. The targets the storage a threat to the producers. The trans-
tions held in December 2017. in KMS 2018-19) close to 13 per cent; Agriculture Cooperative Market- for the Kharif procurement would capacity with portation of crop from the farm
The weaning popularity among far below to match the rhetoric on ing Federation of India) does not be taken up in a meeting lined up gate to market yard makes farmers
the rural voters is a major cause of doubling the farmers’ income. The have the wherewithal to procure for July 31, informed the sources in the procurement dependent on intermediaries who
worry for the ruling BJP alliance. cost of cultivation calculated by the the produce and state government food ministry. The procurement of agencies lest the skew the terms-of-trade for their
At the same time, the nationwide government agencies has also been agencies are apathetic. wheat also jumped the target this own benefit.
agitations by the farmers’ organisa- debatable because the progressive Ajayvir Jhakhar, a strong pro- year- against the target of 33 mil- grain be piled up to Vijay Tayal, the General Secretary
tions in different parts of the coun- agriculture practised in the north- ponent of farmers’ welfare and lion tonne, 35 million tonne was serve the rodents of All India Rice Millers Association
try on the growing rural distress west of India (Punjab, Haryana and Chairman of Bhartiya Krishak procured. finds the MSP hike as a politically
and delay in implementation of Western Uttar Pradesh) is not com- Samaj told that MSP is not a pana- There is an urgent need to aug- motivated decision. “Farmers need
Swaminathan Commission recom- parable to the traditional cultiva- cea for the sufferings of farmers. ment the storage capacity with the procurement. Nothing concrete has long-term solutions to make farm-
mendations is a precursor to the tion in eastern states of Orissa, West While he agrees that the MSP hike procurement agencies lest the pre- come out. There was a proposal of ing a profitable venture, ” he added.
surging discontent and dejection Bengal and Chattisgarh. The cost is a welcome step and will boost the cious grain is piled up in an unsci- developing small silo hubs in vil- The visit of Prime Minister Nar-
among the farming community. of cultivation is far higher in some farmers’ income but will remain entific manner to serve the rodents. lages on PPP model so that farmers endra Modi to Malout in Punjab on
Farmers in India might be poor states and the farmers do not feel limited to a small per centage of The Food Corporation of India has need not transport the produce to July 11, in a thanksgiving rally jointly
and uneducated but understand adequately compensated for their households. Of the total crop, only 70 million tonne storage capacity distant markets but the files are bit- organised by the ally Shiromani
well that BJP alliance is dragging its crops. 25 per cent of paddy is procured un- but there remains a space crunch ing the dust. Government agencies Alaki Dal and BJP (Punjab), uncovers
heels on Swaminathan Commis- The long-awaited announce- der MSP, the rest are left to market during the harvesting season. The find it difficult to organise land for the intentions of the Government
sion’s Report. The revised prices ment of the government near forces. This will raise the aspiration Shanta Kumar Committee gave its such causes. behind MSP hike. Far from farmers’
of the crops declared on July 4 still the completion of its tenure has levels of the farmers and may prove recommendations for restructuring The trade experts are sanguine welfare, it’s a pure political decision
fall short of 50 per cent above the brought some respite to the farm- counter-productive for the govern- of Food Corporation of India in 2015 over the MSP hike but at the same eyeing the electoral gains.
cost of production (A2+FL) in many ers but the uncanny prevails. Jagtar ment. Only 7 per cent to 10 per cent to plug the leakages in storage and time apprehensive over the benefit
cases. Singh Brar, a farmer from village of the farmers get benefitted by MSP bring more farmers to the ambit of to farmers. Dilip Bhai Patel, Presi- LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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