The problem with “MSP”-
It is guaranteed minimum price offered for 25 crops to farmers but out of these, Wheat & Rice are important because most farmers are growing that. Even to the level that unusual states like Punjab for Rice is growing that.
MSP generally increases
1/
every year & that reassures farmers that these crops are safe options. Tech in agriculture makes Wheat & Rice safer than others to grow so farmers won’t just switch to other crops.
Result- year by year bumper production of wheat & rice & maximum in storage of FCI godowns
2/
gets rotten or eaten by rodents.
Now- with new agri bills, private companies or people can buy crops & certainly they won’t waste it by keeping it in godowns. It will be used for export or food processing industry.
Other thing, if MSP is not fix, Farmers will look for
3/
growing more number of crops rather than “safe” wheat & rice again & again! This will increase Protein rich pulses production of India.
BILL IS NOT PRO OR ANTI FARMERS!
Bill is simply trying to stabilise agriculture with respect to the market. Market means demand-supply
4/
relationship. If everything was alright in agriculture till now, why 4k farmers commit suicide every year? Why agriculture is negligible in GDP of India? Why 50% working population is wasted in Agriculture?
Things were not good & it will need alternatives to correct them!
5/
The change is something which might be inconvenient to some but in longer run, it will save agriculture in India. We cannot be always a country who just grows high amount of food but people can’t afford it because of poverty. Ultimate goal is to reduce the poverty, not to
6/
keep the status quo alive in farms. There is competition in market. Can you ever avoid competition in your life? Should you not look up for other fields if somewhere you are unable to compete? MSP will be offered still in Govt Mandis but don’t expect that “FREE MARKET” will
7/
offer it too. They can’t and they should not. To give more net sown area to other crops, to increase farmers’ income, to increase farm size, to increase funds in agriculture, Reforms are needed.
Current bills are a step towards the reform. Welcome it.
End.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.