Page 21 - English Tehelka Issue 12 - June 30, 2018

CoverStory FARMERS

not pursue a peaceful dialogue with the farmers are generally unaware of the paperwork involved of credit and marketing of the produce can be sorted out
protesting farmers and that resulted in in getting the MSP and due to low level of education, they with better management,
loss of life and property. are dependent on either commission agents or large farm- The Government of India gives a lot of thrust to the
The state of Tamil Nadu, reportedly ers to their rightful share of sale of their produce. farm credit and the annual budgetary allocation for agri-
facing one of the severest draught in last The initiatives taken by the government by intro- culture has been revised close to 10 per cent in the last few
140 years has also had massive protests duction of Agriculture Produce Market Committee Act years. Despite this, farmers are committing suicides. The
by the farmers to seek relief package (APMC), Electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) Government of India informed the Supreme Court last
from the Government. 2016 and modified APMC Act, nomenclature as Agricul- year that over 12,000 farmers were reportedly commit-
Farmers carrying skulls of those who ture Produce and Livestock Marketing (APLM) (Facilita- ting suicides every year since 2013. This was in response
committed suicides under the debt bur- tion and Promotion Act) 2017 could have been designed to a petition filed by an NGO ‘Citizen Resources and Action
den to eating their own excreta at Jantar with good intentions at the top but the implementation at Initiatives’.
Mantar in the Country’s capital. Their the ground level was shoddy. Since agriculture is a state
demands included loan waivers, revised subject, different states implemented the Agricultural farmerS’ SuicideS and debt
draught packages, a Cauvery manage- Produce Market Committee Act differently and there is no The suicides among farmers are rising at an alarming level
ment committee and a fair price for their uniformity. This restrains the private and corporate play- but state governments have not conducted any studies.
produce among others. ers to foray in the marketing of agri commodities at pan- Punjab Government engaged three public Universities
The farmers of Telengana also had to India level. to assess the problem of suicides among the farmers. The
resort to protest in New Delhi during No- report has been recently compiled and over 16,000 farm-
vember last year as unseasonal rainfall Shortage of StorageS ers, according to the study committed suicides during the
in October had damaged their crop. The Most of the times, farmers have to indulge in distress sale period 2000-2015.
reports indicated that Cotton Corpora- of their produce for they do not have the adequate scien- The timely availability of credit is also responsible for
tion of India did not buy the crop due tific storage place. As soon as the crop is harvested, they hit the plight of farmers. It has been observed by the econo-
to high moisture content and private the market yards because any delay in sale of the crop may mists that a large part of agricultural disbursements is
traders offered to purchse it at 2,800 to render it unfit for consumption. Also, it is not viable for the done during January to March. The last quarter of the fi-
3,500 per quintal against the Minimum farmers to transport their produce to long distances so nancial year suits the bankers for the disbursements but
Support Price (MSP) of 4,320 per quintal. they dispose off their produce at any price offered at the this part of the year is neither harvesting nor sowing sea-
In the up north, farmers associated vestments are needed for deepening of bore well at farm gate. son so the requirement of funds is minimal for the farm-
with Bhartiya Kisan Union and the All India Coordi- regular intervals, etc. have appreciated proportion- Warehouses with smaller capacities that can suffice the ers. The loan raised during this period is spent on conspic-
nation Committee of Farmers Movement (AICCFM) ately higher than the remuneration of agricultural local needs need to be constructed in villages. Common uous consumption.
orgainsed a ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ at Parliamentary commodities. land in villages can be used to create such infrastructure, The discrepancies in the banking system are to a great
Street to demand a loan waiver and introduction of this can, on one hand generate employment in construc- extent, responsible for the flourishing business of the com-
pro-farmers’ policies. UNAWARE FARMERS tion sector and absorb surplus labour in agriculture and mission agents in the hinterland of India. They not only
Farmers may be fighting from different platform Currently, 26 crops are covered under the MSP re- on the other hand, provide a sustainable solution for the make available funds to the farmers at the need of the
but their tone is same. The prices of all inputs right gime but of all the crops only two; wheat and paddy storage of crop. hour but are also a stop shop for their daily needs.
from seed, fertiliser, pesticides, diesel, labour wages, are procured. At many places, the farmers are igno- The problems of agriculture sector are discussed at
land lease (in case of tenant farmers) and cost of ir- rant about the prevailing minimum support price of ProblemS in agri Sector length by the policymakers but the viable and sustainable
rigation (due to depleting water table higher in - the crop and are fleeced by the middlemen. The small Some problems in agriculture sector like unpredictable solutions are not offered.
weather are inevitable but others like timely availability The state governments are announcing debt waivers

WHAT a series of reports. The first was submitted in De- The report made an indepth evaluation of agriculture prudent step in this direction. The act has provi- only amended the existing rules. Different states sell on-line in any part of the country without an
The National Commission for farmers submitted
distress and incorporated detailed suggestions.
intervention of a middleman.
sions for direct sale of farm produce, establishment
chose different commodities to apply changes.The
SWAminATHAn cember 2004, second in August 2005, followed by Among the key recommendations were the land of special segregated markets for specific agri rules were framed appropriately but implemented Ostensibly, a farmer can save himself from glut
PAnEL SAiD? two more reports in December 2005 and April 2206. reforms and fixing of minimum support price of commodities (perishables and non-pershables), reluctantly, undermining the farmers’ welfare. in the market and instead of indulging in distress
setting up of new market establishments- producers
crops at least 50 per cent more than the weighted
The fifth and final report was submitted in October
A modified APMC Act, nomenclature as Model
selling; he can choose a location where the supply is
2006. The report contains suggestions to achieve average cost of production but did not elaborate on or consumers markets for the facilitation of direct State (Union Territary) Agri Produce and Livestock scarce and earn better price realization. On the hind
The Swaminathan Commission was constituted the goal of faster and inclusive growth as envisaged what really constituted the weighted average cost sale and purchase of agri produces, single levy on Matketing (APLM) (Facilitation and Promotion) Act, side, given a large section of farmers uneducated/
by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in 2004. in the approach to eleventh Five Year Plan. of production. market fee. 2017 was put in place. This aims at better coverage less educated, understanding the nuances of
Eminent Agriculture Scientists Dr. M S Swaminathan The report raised the red flag over the dete- The farmers could not reap the projected of agriculture marketing across the country. technology driven sale and purchase of commodi-
was appointed the Chairman of National Commis- riorating condition of small and marginal farmers APmC Act benefits from APMC Act as the response of the state The roll out of electronic national agriculture ties and learning the knack of competitive price in
sion for Framers to review the condition of Indian and provided recommendations to safeguard the In order to provide remunerative price of crops governments was not commensurate. A lukewarm market (e-MAN) in April 2016 was also an initiative different markets across India may not be a remedy
Agriculture and assess the condition of different interests of cultivators with small landholdings. The to the producers, a well organized market haing response by the states created hurdles in the to consolidate the marketing infrastructure.e-NAM to their problems. It may take almost one generation
categories of farmers in the different regions of increasing risk of pursuing agriculture as a profes- presence of private buyers, corporate players and implementation of the Act. A few states adopted aims to remove geographical barriers and allow to upgrade the farmers with scarce means to the
India. sion was also appropriately highlighted in the report. cooperatives is imperative. The APMC Act was a the recommendations of 2003 Act, while others the farmers to negotiate for price. A farmer can level requisite for technology enabled services.
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