Although farmers’ organizations have argued that the laws will reduce their bargaining power and put an end to the existing minimum support price regime, the government has clarified that the MSP regime will continue and that the lifting of restrictions on the sale of agricultural products within agriculture will only give farmers greater freedom to sell where and to whom they want.
The three agricultural laws, the Agricultural Products Trade and Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) Act of 2020, the Farmers’ Agricultural Price and Services Guarantee Agreement (Empowerment and Protection), 2020 and the Essential Products Act (Amendment) Bill 2020 were clarified in the middle of a great drama by Parliament last week and the Modi government has presented them as long-pending agricultural reforms.
Prime Minister Modi, in fact, had referred to the passing of the bills as a “watershed moment” in the history of Indian agriculture that will empower millions of farmers.
However, the opposition criticized the government both for the way the legislation was passed by parliament and for failing to protect the interests of farmers. Referring to the legislation as “anti-farmer” and “unconstitutional,” the opposition argued that the legislation does not promise to protect the existing MSP structure, and also to weaken the country’s smaller farmers, who will be at the mercy of large retailers. and companies in the sale of their products.
Last week, the opposition parties had also written to President Kovind asking him to return the bills and grant consent only after they were passed following due procedures. NDA’s oldest ally, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has left the NDA government because of the controversial agricultural laws. SAD sided with the opposition, saying the legislation would harm farmers’ interests.
Although the bills were signed into law on Sunday, opposition and farmers’ protests showed no signs of abating, especially in Haryana and Punjab. Farmer protests against the laws continued on Sunday, with farmers in Punjab squatting on the Amritsar-Delhi train track. Farmers, under the banner of the Kisan Mazdoor The Sangharsh Committee has also been organizing a sit-in on the railroad tracks in Punjab since last Wednesday.
The Draft Law on Trade in Agricultural Products and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) of 2020 aims to allow the sale of agricultural products outside the mandis regulated by the Agricultural Products Marketing Committees (APMC) constituted by different state legislations.
The 2020 Farmers’ Farm Service and Price Guarantee Agreement (Empowerment and Protection) provides for contract farming.
The 2020 Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill aims to deregulate the production, supply and distribution of foods such as grains, legumes, potatoes and onions.
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