Farmers Movement Archive

Pump in higher subsidies, make pvt traders purchase at MSP, say activists and farmers

Nagpur: Farmers from Vidarbha are looking forward to measures which may not have a direct relation with the Budget. They are hoping for repeal of the three contentious farm laws and mandatory purchase at MSP even for private traders. On the other hand, farm activists are pressing for enhanced allocation towards agriculture subsidy. It would help improve income of farmers, they say. Workers of Shetkari Sanghatna said the Budget should contain measures that would prevent exploitation of farmers. Stressing on its concept of negative subsidy, a leader of the outfit said farmers in India should be compensated for the lower earnings as compared to their counterpart in developed countries. The farmers in other countries get high amount of subsidy which ultimately earns them a better profit. Citing an OECD report, the leader said as much as Rs45,000 crore needed to be pumped in as farm subsidy to bridge the gap. “This can come in the form of direct benefit transfer or loan waiver,” said the leader. Vijay Jawandhia, a former Shetkari Sanghatna leader, said, “There is a buzz that the farmers’ dole under Prime Minister’s scheme may be increased to Rs10,000 from Rs6,000 at present. But it is not a permanent solution. Instead increase subsidies. For example, the farm labourers should be entirely covered under MNREGA.” Kishore Tiwari, chairman of Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swavalamban Mission, a state government agency on farm crisis, said loan waiver cannot be a solution either. Along with better credit disbursal, he also batted for increase in allocation towards subsidies. “This was one of the worst years for Vidarbha’s farmers. Output of all three major crops — cotton, soyabean and tur — has gone down. The government should come up with a law making procurement at MSP compulsory,” said Manish Jadhav, a cotton grower from Hiwri village in Yavatmal. There was apprehension about allowing sale of farm produce out of APMCs as entailed in the new law. Samadhan Supekar, a farmer from Buldhana, said the system is already there in Maharashtra but farmers have ended up facing defaults from buyers. “Even in Buldhana some traders offer a higher rate for sales outside APMC yard, but also default on payments,” he said. Anup Chavan from Bodhbodan village in Yavatmal said traders may easily be able to keep rates down if the APMC system is dismantled. Bodhbodan was in news for high suicides. Amitabh Pawde, a farmer-cum-activist from Narkhed, said there should be MSP for all the crops instead of 24 at present. AGRICULTURE WISH LIST - Mandatory purchase at MSP even for private traders - Enhanced allocation towards agriculture subsidy - Measures to prevent exploitation of farmers

The Times of India

2021-02-01

Nagpur