The true inflation is the difference between Rs 20 and Rs 120: Farmers underpaid for produce in India

The country is now witness to some of the widespread strikes by farmers who have come to the government to get their loans waived. The MP farmers’ protest in Mandsaur is the latest. Farmers have joined all over the country to protest. But is it the same kind of protests that we see in this country that wane away with the passage of time. It is wise to read between the lines rather than the lines themselves. There is a strong reason why farmers have come out on the roads.

The investigation need not go too far and can condense to the local vegetable market. The small bundle of coriander or cilantro that is available in the market is sold at Rs 120. But the same thing is bought from the farmer who grew it, at Rs 20. Why does this huge gap occur?

The farmer sells it to the local aggregator, who gives him a meager amount for the entire produce. The farmer, who has no storage facility for his vegetables, in order to minimize the loss due to decay, sells it off. Now the aggregator does the same thing and sells it before decay to the next link in the supply chain. In the due course of time the customer at the end of the chain gets the price tag of Rs 120. And this has been the story throughout the 70 years of independence. The farmer has been considered as one of the primary pillars of democracy in India. It is evident from the ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ of the PM Lal Bahadur Shastri. But this slogan has lost its importance now that the government takes them for granted. Due to the difference in the rate the supply chain tries to squeeze the farmers' end of the chain and increase profits. The farmers are unable to pay back the loans and so either protest or commit suicide.

The main problem arises out of the red-tape bureaucracy that is still stalling people from progressing. The tendency to stick to old practices and not innovation is the main reason behind this farmers’ agitation. The government should have given a cost-effective solution to farmers for storing their produce after reaping to enable fair price deliverance. The government should take and area-wise census each year to determine the number of farmers in each area and allot a local storage system for the farmers for their produce temporarily for storage so that they get a fair price for their produce. Also a representative from the government should ensure that the rate of sale of the produce is not much different than the rate in the market. The number of middlemen must be decreased.

But this will only ensure a government structure. A true implementation is that where people join with the implementation of a reform.  People must realize that the farmers are an important part of the society. Enabling the system like a Panchayati Raj in the rural areas is good. It will enable participation on a greater platform. A national computer network should be enabled to compare prices with various places and enable discussion to make better practices of farming. Farming is not only a pillar of democracy but also a leg of the entire nation. Preventing it from breaking will prevent the nation from being handicapped.