The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 ..
When the whole country was locked under pandemic, people were worried about their livelihood and slow down was in every sector, emotions, behaviour but there were a movement and momentum in Delhi where Modi Govt was preparing to abolished APMC Act. June 2020 was the month when it was notified and the charter was issued by the GOI that APMC Act is now past and our farmers are now going millionaire, they are also going to set themselves free from the decades-old useless Act of APMC which was the root cause of big exploitation of farmers.
Before I jumped to a conclusion, I am briefing the current practice of selling farmers produce.
Mandi system is an old traditional channel of dealing Agri produce from farmers.. state Govt earn a handsome amount in the form of Mandi Taxes.. so a cash Cow for them. Since independence and till date it remains under influence of local politics. Traders, and a series of brokers deals with farmers. Mandi traders are the first channel between industry/market and farmer. The farmer sells their Agri produce to the Aartiya's/ Mandi traders at an Auction system.
The old system of selling products in the market... if we talk about this system now means in the IT arena, it means we are not doing justice with yourself. Why should the farmer be treated like an illiterate?
During my job tenure with a big Agri company from 2010 to 2012, I had to visit the hundred"s of Mandies across India. More or fewer systems is the same with the old selling pattern across region, the same type of noise on auctioning the produce standing in a circle.. winner put a flag on the lot. Immediately labour start filling in bags...after weighing trader issue bill to the farmer after deduction of unloading charges, loading charges, stitching and thread charges, weightment charges, moisture loss, foreign matter, quality deductions, mandi tax, entry tax, lab charges and cash discount. if we sum up all overheads it goes above 15%, but it depends on product to products.
Do you think, farmer collect its crop direct from the farm and sell it to Mandi traders, no before going to mandi farmer had to spend on its cleaning, bagging freight, loading charges, but even after spending 20% to keep his product sellable again he has pay 10 to 15% using APMC platform because it is the Law and A influence of Act that without paying mandi taxes no one can sell their products to open market?
In a layman way, if one go and see the entire old system and surely you will feel an emotional touch with the farmer. He is fooled many times by the brokers and traders. Even MSP (Min Selling price) is not paid to farmers, the indebted farmer had to bow himself in front of the gange of brokers who incircled him when coming to Mandi. More than a business, the farmer usually had to fulfil some of his personal obligations in the form of taking advance from Mandi traders for buying seeds and fertilisers and some time for a cause like marriage and other socials activities. This is also a reason for them to stay connect with traders and brokers. I would say an emotional bounding of farmers with brokers and traders.
I will not use word exploitation because it is not there in many cases, yes it is there when overproduction happens and in the absence of storage space, the farmer had to sell his crop at a lower price. Why should he be punished, exploited when there are many more reasons to make him unhappy. Govt should ensure a proper infrastructure for storage of products. Being private partners for this kind of issues. Let them build infra for farmers.
No doubt the existing Mandi system has many shortcomings but there are always two sides of a thing. So how we can blame brokers and traders for not giving a fair price. Farmer is safe and still farming his land because brokers and traders are helping them on various occasions. Farmers are today hope for doing best.
Instead of Govt's current decision of abolishing the APMC Act, there must be some reforms that should take place.. Root causes should be analysed.
If we think abolishing mandi systems brings benefits to farmers then I am the first person who will support this Bill but before going in deep let's take a dive.
In the support of the bill
1. Farmer is free to sale his Crop to anywhere in India and anyone.
2. Farmer can go with some sponsors who can buy his products as per the agreement between both.
3. Farmer will receive money for buying seeds and other supplies require for a crop plantation.
4. There will be greater positively that the farmer will get a fair price
On the above points, I have no reser
Benefits to traders, wholesaler and retail distributors definitely this move is beneficial in terms of availability of products from his near market as well as from other markets.. Specially This Act is going to beneficial for packer and repacker industry.. Through a backward integration of supplied will make a robust system in terms of timely availability and at competitive pricings.
But still, some basic things need to be cleared, GOI is going to enable WTO manifest and it is backdoor entry to big retail companies, Agri giants to spread addiction in first five years and once all existing Mandi system vanished they will have the unilateral reign over the poor farmer and then real exploitation will happen.
On the other hand, GOI going to remove stock limits, what will happen, if a layman has to bring some focus on this, means we are in dark.
Black marketing of essential food items, it stated.taking place... Have you noticed that why prices of vegetables, fruits, pulses are touching the sky because trader started stocking?
Products like Potatoes vanished from the market, and the retail price is above Rs.40 a kg. Same is with all vegetables. Fruits.
Even the new rice crop will have higher price trend for Nov month. Parmal will be sold more than Rs.30 a kg. Ex mill basis.
...
Following lines taken from the Act...
seeks to provide for a national framework on farming agreements that protects and empowers farmers to engage with agri-business firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters or large retailers for farm services and sale of future farming produce at a mutually agreed remunerative price framework in a fair and transparent manner and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
I have questions on the said, how effective it will be for the end consumer.
And need more clarity on:-
1. WTO role, maybe an agenda
2. Multinational companies vested interest
3. Black marketing of products.
4. Economic imbalance.
As a layman I going positive that farmer and traders both will be benefited, so definitely consumer is going to take the burden.
Writer.Balwant Rana
As a layman, I am against the APMC abolishing Act and I would convince farmers not to accept this Act. It will be the last nail on the coffin of agricultural developments.
..pls share your views on this at
parjakalyanm@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment