Farmers from Punjab and Haryana have shown the community their resolve to protect their interest against lawmakers. If farmers from the rest of the country have not shown a similar courage and initiative to express their disapproval of the three central farm legislations passed on September 27, last year, it could be because they are not as united as their counterparts from Punjab and Haryana and also are not financially strong enough to continue with such a prolonged day-night agitation at Delhi’s door step in a nearly freezing night temperature. Punjab and Haryana farmers are rich. They have all the resources at their disposal to fight the chill and make themselves reasonably at home on the national highway bordering Delhi.
Punjab and Haryana stand out in large-scale commercial farming of wheat and rice. Other than these two states, only major commercial wheat growers and suppliers to FCI in 2019-20 and 2020-21 were Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Together, these five states account for over 95 percent of FCI’s wheat procurement in these two years. This explains why the legal existence of the minimum support price (MSP) system, notified Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Mandis and the central procurement agency, FCI, are so important for these farmers.
Farmers from Punjab and Haryana are the biggest beneficiaries of MSP and APMC Mandis. They apprehend that the new farm laws will eliminate the safety cushion of MSP and scrap Mandis, thereby leaving them at the mercy of big corporates. MSP is the minimum price assured by the government when it procures any crop from farmers. It is announced every year by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) for more than 22 commodities based on their cost of cultivation and reasonable return. FCI buys mostly paddy and wheat. Thereafter, FCI sells these food grains at highly subsidised prices to the poor under the government’s rationing system. The agency gets compensated by the government for its losses.
Going by the union agriculture ministry’s records, neither Punjab, nor Haryana is the country’s No. 1 crops producing state. Interestingly, West Bengal heads the list of India’s top 10 agricultural states. Bengal is followed by Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.
While West Bengal is the country’s No. 1 rice producer, it is the second largest producer of potato, after Uttar Pradesh. West Bengal is also among top 10 producers of wheat, tomato and onion. The state is the largest producer of jute and second largest producer of tea, after Assam. Yet, the state’s farmers are among the country’s poorest mainly due to small holdings and multiple-level middle-man controlled market. As a result, not many Bengal farmers boast concrete roof above their head. They live inside thatched-walled houses and under straw, tiled or asbestos roofs. On the contrary, Punjab farmers are among India’s richest cultivators. The average net annual income of a Punjab farmer is said to be well over Rs. 200,000. Rich farmers’ families earn in crores. Agricultural income is tax free. About 95 percent of Punjab farmers are beneficiaries of MSP and the procurement system. They don’t generally need the storage facility for their harvested crops, thanks to the power of the assured purchase.
In Shakespeare’s historic play, ’The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,’ the Roman dictator’s wife Calpurnia said: “When beggars die there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.” The quote sounds so appropriate when it comes to the condition of poor Indian farmers who commit suicide in thousands almost every year either because of crop failure or under loan burden. No political party or government ever cares to act to prevent recurring of such sad incidents year after year.
Ironically, the entire country now seems to be concerned over the agitation by rich Punjab and Haryana farmers demanding the repeal of the centre’s new farm laws to ensure their huge production of wheat and rice crops fetch MSP at notified Mandis. The government itself is rattled as opposition political forces have quickly gotten into the act backing these agitating Punjab-Haryana farmers who have made the highway connect to the National Capital Region of Delhi their home.
These farmers are carrying enough ration that can last some months and are in no mood to turn back. They want the government either repeal the new farm laws or formulate a fresh one to address their concerns. However, the government’s farm policy must protect all farmers — rich or poor — producing all commodities. The MSP facility and market protection are important to India’s all farmers. Conspicuously, the new farm laws are practically oblivious to the suffering of poor and small farmers. The ruling BJP at the Centre seems to be totally at its wits’ end as the party faces the biggest ever challenge outside Parliament. (IPA Service)