Updated: December 9, 2020 7:50:48 am
At the Singhu border, Tuesday. (Express photo by Gajendra Yadav)
“We’re trapped”.
In three words, Sarabjit Singh captures the crisis that has gripped farmers in Punjab, an otherwise leading state in terms of agricultural productivity and income. And with the enactment of the three agricultural ordinances, anguish has turned to fear, drawing thousands of farmers, largely the Jat Sikh peasantry, to the borders of the capital.
“We do not grow rice and paddy fields out of a special love for these crops. We cultivate them as they provide a semblance of security that we will not be disappointed, ”said Sarabjit, who co-owns seven acres of land with his brother in Fatehgarh Sahib district.
The socio-economic composition of the farmers who criticize the laws is in line with the land tenure patterns of Punjab. According to the 2015-16 agricultural census data, 33.1% of the land in Punjab is small and marginal (less than 1 hectare to 2 hectares), while 33.6% is classified as semi-medium (2 -4 hectares). One hectare equals approximately 2.5 acres.
Protest of various organizations in Chandigarh during the Bharat bandh on Tuesday. (Express photo by Kamleshwar Singh)
And so the capital finds farmers on its doorstep who are neither in complete hardship nor demanding loan waivers. Instead, these are farmers who largely manage break-even, but fear changes in current arrangements due to past experiences.
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“A multinational potato chip company signed a contract promising to buy potatoes at 10 rupees per kilo. The promise was broken within a year and the company paid Rs 4 per kilo. And a year later, when potato prices plummeted, they decided to buy potatoes in the market at much lower prices. Today I am in debt. Farmers don’t break their agreements, companies do, ”said Gurmail Singh, also a resident of Fatehgarh Sahib district, noting the apprehension that contract farming generates, which the new laws aim to encourage.
Farmers and members of Aikya Horata, a coalition of Dalit farmers, workers and groups blocked the road near the Maurya circle in Bengaluru on Tuesday night while demanding that recent land reform laws be scrapped both in the Center and in the state. .
The 65-year-old, whose two sons are also engaged in agriculture, said that rice production per acre is around 20-25 quintals, while the MSP was set at Rs 1,888 per quintal. It owns four acres of land. “After factoring in the cost of finishing on mandi, the payment per quintal comes to around 1,850 rupees,” he said, noting that increasing MSP can help farmers break even, not profit. .
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The stagnation of incomes of Punjab farmers has also been attributed to the absence of a diversified farming model and over-reliance on rice and wheat production.
Farmers say they are hesitant to switch to other forms of farming due to a number of factors: assured income from rice and rice; the uncertainty associated with other crops and the lack of MSP coverage in them; the past track record of companies that often break their word.
“The mandi system in Punjab is very robust. That helps farmers stay afloat. There is also MSP in makki, but nobody understands it. Promise MSP on other crops and farmers will grow it too. The whole system is such that we are trapped, ”said Sarabjit Singh, her words seconded by Jasbir Kaur from Patiala, part of a contingent of women farmers who have gradually started arriving.
NH-9 defected on Tuesday when farmers blocked as part of the Bharat Bandh in Ghazipur in New Delhi. Express Photo by
Anti-corporate and multinational sentiment runs through farmers, both union members and non-union members, in large part because of their lived experiences.
Said Karnail Singh of Patiala, “Take whole milk, for example. We sell it to companies well below the market rate of 55 rupees per kilo. This implies that companies are spending a large sum to process that milk. Check your logs and see if that’s true. We are being deceived at every step. “
Gurvinder Singh, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Punjabi literature from Patiala University, underscored how the state has families with no source of income other than agriculture. “With what they earn, families must also cover the cost of employing workers, educating children, marrying daughters, medical care. In some cases, they also have to pay for the diesel. What about our own labor value? Farming is also a physical job that people, who complain that we don’t pay income tax, can’t even imagine, ”he said.
Congressional workers blocked the Chandigarh-Zirakpur highway during Bharat Bandh in support of farmers on Tuesday. (Express photo by Jaipal Singh)
Jeet Singh, who traveled from Hasanpur Khurd to the Singhu border, said outsiders often look down on the Arthiyas, unaware of the traditional ties this community has been sharing with farmers. “This is most important in the case of small and marginal farmers and landless workers. In the drive to advance this narrative of exploitation, how closely linked the lives of arthiyas and farmers are is often overlooked. To give just one example, generations of farmers have been able to marry off their daughters thanks to the timely financial assistance provided by arthiyas. They easily pay in advance when needed, ”he said.
Jeevan Singh (72), also a resident of Gurdaspur district, said he is incredulous at the suggestion that an open market will allow farmers to sell their produce at a better price. “Do you expect small and marginal farmers to sell their products in Gujarat? They will not even be able to bear the transportation costs. The new law will weaken the Mandis, their biggest safety net. And lifting restrictions on hoarding will increase food prices and the poor and vulnerable will be the most affected, ”he said.
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Under one of the three new laws, the Agricultural Products Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance 2020, the sale and purchase of agricultural products outside of the mandi will not generate market fees, taxes or levies.
“A similar arrangement was implemented in Bihar in 2006. Today, farmers in Bihar are selling their products at half the price compared to Punjab. Make no mistake, Punjabis are not protesting just because only they will be affected by the new laws. Ye Punjab sirf apna fayda nahi sochta ”, Jeevan Singh added.
Two volunteers distribute almonds. (PTI)
Young people also go out of their way to underscore how agriculture, for the vast majority of Punjab, is more than just a livelihood, a sentiment backed by the decision of influential Punjabi voices, from entertainment to sports, to strongly support to the protesters. .
“Punjab ka har parivar kisan parivar hai (every family in Punjab is a family of farmers). And without hesitation we will join agriculture. We are proud of agriculture. And our fears and apprehensions are rooted in this very pride, ”said Harman Singh, a 22-year-old from the Gurdaspur district.
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