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Benefits of Farm Bill 2020
Farm Bill 2020
India is an agricultural country. More than 70% of India’s population is directly or indirectly involved in agriculture related work. Due to the hard work of these farmers, we are able to sit and eat in peace. These farmers sustain the entire country but it is a sad truth that they are struggling with starvation. Recently, the Central Government has passed new agricultural bills for the benefit of farmers and the good of the agricultural sector. But farmers and state governments are opposing these agricultural bills
What is Agriculture Bill 2020?
The Farm Bill 2020 or the Agriculture Bill 2020 is a combination of three Bills recently passed by Parliament. These bills are; Farmers Produce and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill 2020, Farmers Agreement (Empowerment and Protection) on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020. These bills have led to major structural changes in the agricultural sector. These bills make corporate in the agricultural ecosystem more profitable for farmers
Benefits to farmers:
Farm Bill 2020 provides an alternative platform for farmers to sell their produce in the open market. Now the farmer is free to sell his products to anyone else as he wishes. Thus, they can earn profit by selling crop products at a higher price. There will be no APMC market fee or cess on transactions for such business areas. APMC will continue its functioning. Now APMC has to compete with these alternative platforms and now farmers have an option to sell their products. The Bill empowers farmers to sell their goods directly from the farm to the corporate or exporter in bulk. The current MSP-based procurement of food grains in the Bill of 2020 has not been removed. The MSP-based procurement system will continue and farmers can sell their crop products in the mandi at the existing MSP as before.
Government’s intention towards Farm Bill 2020:
The government has introduced these agricultural bills for structural reforms in the agricultural sector. This step has been taken by the government to boost the agricultural sector as well as double the income of farmers by 2022. It is believed that by freeing the agricultural sector, farmers will get better prices of agricultural products. When farmers sell their products directly to corporates and exporters, it will also motivate the corporate sector and exporters to invest in the agro-ecosystem.
Why are farmers protesting?
The farmer is fearful of ending the currently running MSP system for his produce as the New Farm Bill 2020 opens the way for farmers to sell their produce in the open market as well as fixing prices on their own understanding between corporate and farmer . Farmers also fear that large retail traders and corporate money may dominate the agricultural sector. Farmers also suspect that the future if the business runs adequately through other alternative platforms The Pricing Bill does not prescribe any mechanism for pricing. Thus, there is a fear among farmers that the agricultural system in the hands of private corporate houses may lead to exploitation of farmers. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance removes pulses, oils, edible oils, onions and potatoes from the essentials list. Thus the modification uncontrolled the production, transport, storage and distribution of these food items.
BENEFITS-
- The rights of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee ie Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) of the states will remain intact. Therefore, farmers will have the option of government agencies.
- The new bill encourages farmers to interstate trade (interstate trade), so that farmers will be able to sell their products freely in another state.
- APMCs currently charge a market fee of 1 percent to 10 percent on various goods, but now no state or central tax will be levied on trade outside the state markets.
- No APMC tax or any levy and fees etc. will be paid. Therefore, no further documents will be required. At the same time, both buyer and seller will get benefit. APMC tax will be paid by private companies and traders, not by farmers.
- Farmers can also partner with private players or agencies for contract farming or contract farming.
- Contract farming will allow private agencies to purchase the product – the contract will be for the product only. No private agencies will be allowed to do anything with the farmers’ land nor will there be any construction on the farmer’s land under the contract farming ordinance.
At present, farmers are dependent on the rates fixed by the government. But in the new order, farmers will be able to connect with big traders and exporters, which will make farming profitable.
- each state has different laws for agriculture and procurement. Therefore, a uniform central law implemented under the new law will provide an opportunity for equality for all stakeholders.
- The new bill will encourage more investment in agriculture, as it will increase competition. Private investment will further strengthen farming infrastructure and create employment opportunities.
- Under the APMC system, only licensed traders called Aadhatiya i.e. middleman were allowed to trade in grain markets, but the new Bill allows anyone to trade with PAN number.
- This will break the cartel of middlemen, which is an important issue across India. Twelve, the new bill will transfer the risk of market uncertainty from farmer to private agency and company. It is also important for you to know that according to the 2015 Shanta Kumar Committee report, 94 percent farmers are already selling their produce to private companies and traders. At the same time, only 6 percent farmers in APMC mandis sell their produce to the government procurement agencies in the minimum support price (MSP). But there is no restriction on them ie 6 percent farmers for selling products to private companies and traders.
Bibliography-
- Books
- Newspaper
Author: Shubhi Jaiswar,
Pandit purnanand tiwari law college Haridwar Uttrakhand.(BALLB 2nd year)