This is the second organism linked to RSS after BKS having supported farmers protesting the MSP issue. However, unlike the agitated agricultural unions, these two bodies do not want the laws repealed.
The SJM passed a resolution at its annual convention on virtual platforms that suggests certain amendments, including a provision to make purchases under the MSP illegal. However, the Center has said that it is willing to give a written guarantee on the “continuation” of the MSP.
SJM co-coordinator Ashwani Mahajan told TOI that a legal guarantee on MSP could be given by amending existing farm law in farm markets or by new legislation.
“We believe that the legal guarantee of PEM will not only be important for the well-being of farmers, but also crucial for the country’s food security. It will not increase inflation as some economists have argued, ”Mahajan said, adding:“ We have examples of pulses whose higher MSP purchases encouraged farmers to produce more, lowering the price for consumers and also reducing the import bill of country. So a legally guaranteed MSP will be a win-win situation. ”
Experts, however, argue that the idea behind the reforms is to encourage private investment and trade, and official agencies cannot under any circumstances acquire all crops.
The SJM also suggested the establishment of ‘farmers courts’ along the lines of ‘consumer courts’ rather than empowering SDMs to resolve disputes arising out of contract farming. Although the government in its preliminary proposal shared with the agricultural unions agreed to allow the resolution of disputes through an appeals mechanism in a civil court, both SJM and BKS suggested a separate court to deal with agricultural issues.
The SJM resolution said the government’s intention to introduce new agricultural laws was good, but some amendments were needed to overcome the drawbacks, dispelling “fears and doubts” among farmers. The laws seek to provide an option for farmers to sell their products outside of APMC-regulated ‘mandis’, encourage contract farming and set a higher bar for imposing stock limits on essential agricultural products.
Referring to the agricultural market law on sales outside ‘mandis’, SJM said it would be appropriate for the “MSP to be guaranteed to the farmer and purchases below the MSP to be declared illegal”, prohibiting private parties and government agencies buy less than MSP.
Both SJM and BKS also required mandatory registration of all contracting companies and merchants, a suggestion that the Center has already accepted. The other demands of the SJM include paying farmers in a staggered manner (3-4 installments) under ‘contract farming’ so that farmers have enough money on hand to run their agricultural operations from the sowing stage.
Referring to the law on contract farming that defines a farmer as a person “who is engaged in the production of agricultural products by himself or through hired labor,” the SJM said that the definition of farmer is such that now it is also will include companies. “It will not be appropriate. The SJM firmly believes that a definition of a farmer should include only the farmer who is engaged in agriculture, not businesses, ”said the resolution.
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