Please vote and comment. Two years after passing the three farm bills and about an year after repealing them, what is your view in hindsight as a member of farm community? Mention if the laws impact you personally.
Yes, they were bad for farmers and needed to go
No, they were good for farmers, but not understood well
Not sure
Events:
September 2020: Farm Bills passed. Mixed opinions from farmers, farmer unions and economists
November 2021: Farm Bills repealed due to protests/dissent in a few states
Modiji insisted that the laws were in the benefit of farmers and then apologized to people of the country while adding that the government could not convince a section of farmers despite its clear heart and clean conscience.
Farm Acts:
1) Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020
Freedom to farmers to sell their produce outside the notified APMC market yards/mandis, facilitating remunerative prices. No cess or levy for sale of their produce.
Pros: More choices for farmers, lower marketing costs, better prices.Cons: States and commission agents lose revenue. Farmers concerned of end to the minimum support price (MSP) and exploitation by private companies.
2) Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.
Farmer-buyer contract system and dispute resolution mechanism.
Pros: Reduction of risk and cost of marketing to farmer.Cons: Farmers concerned this favors large corporates over farmers.
3) Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
Removes commodities like cereals, pulses, oil seeds, onion, and potatoes from the list of essential commodities and will remove stock holding limits except under extraordinary circumstances.
Pros: Attracts private investment/FDI into the farm sector and brings price stability.Cons: Farmers’ concern that large companies will stock commodities and dictate terms.
ymc
October 22, 2022, 2:27pm
2
Repealing the laws was the right decision as it seems to be favouring the corporate lobby in the long run. The laws need to be reframed and fine tuned.
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