Transcript AGRARIAN REFORM, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SUSTAINABLE

MARKETING PROBLEMS OF INDIAN
FARMERS
by
T. HAQUE
e-mail : [email protected]
POINTS MADE AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL BODY
MEETING OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF
STATE MARKETING BOARDS AT GUWAHATI ON
APRIL 3, 2008
PRESENT AGRICULTURAL SCENARIO
•
INDIAN
AGRICULTURE
IS
IN
LOW
LEVEL
EQUILIBRIUM TRAP-HAVING LOW FARM PROFIT AND
INCOME, LOW SAVINGS, LOW INVESTMENT AND SLOW
GROWTH
•
SLOW PROCESS OF PARADIGM SHIFT
SUBSISTENCE TO COMMERCIAL ARICULTURE
•
SLOW PROCESS OF AGRICULTURAL DIVERSIFICATION
AND VALUE ADDITION
•
LACK OF ADEQUATE ACCESS OF FARM YOUTH TO
QUALITY EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR UPWARD
MOBILITY OUTSIDE AGRICULTURE
•
LACK OF APPROPRIATE INFRASTRUCTURE, SMALL
FARMER FRIENDLY SUPPORTIVE INSTITUTIONS,
TECHNOLOGY AND POLICY SUPPORT
FROM
IMPORTANCE OF AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT
AGRICUTLRUAL MARKETING SYSTEM
-
IT SHOULD ENSURE ADEQUATE AND TIMELY AVAILABILITY OF
KEY
FARM
INPUTS
FOR
IMPROVEMENT
IN
FARM
PRODUCTIVITY
-
IT SHOULD ENSURE TIMELY DISPOSAL OF FARM OUTPUT,
ESPECIALLY PERISHABLES
-
IT CAN HELP IMPROVE FARM INCOME
-
IT CAN RAISE THE SATISFACTION LEVEL OF CONSUMERS
-
IT CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE AGENT OF CHANGE
AGRICULTURAL DIVESIFICATION AND VALUE ADDITION
-
IT CAN HELP THE FARMERS TO BENEFIT FROM THE
OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY TRADE LIBERALISATION AND
GLOBALISATION
FOR
PROBLEMS OF AGRICUTLRUAL
MARKETING IN INDIA
-
INADEQUATE NUMBER OF ORGANISED MARKETS
-
INADEQUATE PROGRESS OF CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING
-
POOR FACILITIES IN REGULATED MARKETS
-
LACK OF ADEQUATE RURAL GODOWNS AND WAREHOUSING
FACILITIES
-
RESTRICTIVE AND MONOPOLISTIC MARKETS
-
RESTRICTIONS ON DIRECT FARMING
-
LACK
OF
ADEQUATE
COLD
STORAGE
TRANSPORTAION FACILITIES FOR PERISHABLES
-
LACK OF ALL WEATHER RAODS AND ADEQUATE ELECTICITY
STAND IN THE WAY
-
LACK
OF
QUALITY
STANDARDISATION ETC.
CONSCIOUNESS,
AND
COOL
GRADING
-
POOR MARKET AND PRICE INFORMATION SYSTEM-PRESENTLY
INADEQUATE MARKET INTEGRATION
-
INFORMATION SYSTEM-PRESENTLY AGMARK NET SEEMS TO WORK
-
WIDE AND WIDENEING MARGINS BETWEEN WHAT THE CONSUMERS
PAYAND WHAT THE PRODUCERS RECEIVE
-
WIDE INTER-SEASONAL FLUCTUATION IN PRICES
-
MALPRACTICES AND CORRUPTION AT INDIVIDUAL MANDI LEVELS,
RESULTING IN FARMERS EXPLOITATION
-
NOT MUCH ORGANISED RETAILING
-
WEAK INTEGRATION OF PRODUCTION SYSTEM WITH
POST
HARVEST VALUE CHAINS, RESULTING IN HIGH COST OF MARKETING
AND LOW PRICE REALISED BY FARMERS.
-
LIMITED OPTINS FOR PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN AGRICULTURAL
MARKETING
-
MULTIPLICITY OF TAXES AND LEVIES
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF REGULATED MAREKTS IN INDIA
States/Union Territories
Wholesale
Markets
Rural Primary
Markets
Regulate Market
Yards/ Sub-yards
Area Served
Per Market
Yard/ SubYard (Sq. Km)
Andhra Pradesh
299
290
889
309
Arunachal Pradesh
6
24
-
-
Assam
172
650
224
353
Bihar (+Jharkhand)
443
1469
813
214
Goa
11
8
8
500
Gujarat
201
137
405
484
Haryana
284
157
284
155
Himachal Pradesh
38
30
38
1474
J&K
26
47
-
-
Karnataka
492
941
492
390
Kerala*
351
2000
-
-
Madhya Pradesh (+ Chattisgarh)
485
3000
667
664
Maharashtra
873
3500
871
353
Manipur*
20
49
-
-
Meghalaya
112
82
2
11215
Mizoram
6
35
33
639
Nagaland
8
80
-
-
Orissa
398
1150
314
497
Punjab
437
--
437
114
Rajasthan
413
558
416
822
Sikkim
7
30
1
7096
Tamil Nadu
300
677
288
451
Tripura
84
554
21
476
Uttar Pradesh (+ Uttarnchal)
641
3322
641
459
West Bengal
214
2925
684
130
Union Territories
38
16
29
-
Total
6359
21731
7557
435
* APMR ACT NOT YET ENACTED/IMPLEMENTED
SOURCE:
Govt. of India and Updated by records of Directorate of Marketing and Inspection , Faridabad
(as on 31/03/05)
FACILITIES/AMENTITIES IN REGULATED MARKET YEARDS
% OF MARKETS
WITH FACILITY
% UTILIZATION OF
FACILITIES
COMMON AUCTION PLATFORM (COVERED)
64
84
COMMON AUCTION PLATFORM (OPEN)
67
82
COMMON DRYING YARDS
26
87
LOADING/UNLOADING & PARKING
100
100
TRADERS MODULES
63
89
RETAIL SHOPS
28
100
STORAGE GODOWNS
74
91
COLD STORAGE
9
100
WEIGHING EQUIPMENT
85
100
GRADING FACILITIES
30
89
PROCESSING UNITS
7
83
PLEDGE FINANCING
17
93
AGRICULTURAL INPUT SHOPS
29
96
INTERNAL ROADS
89
100
ELECTRIC LIGHTING
89
100
AVENUE & SHED TREES
57
98
PRICE DISPLAYBOARDS
61
92
PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM
34
91
BANK
42
100
POST OFFICE
28
100
SECUIRTY POST
42
-
POLICE POST
15
-
BOUNDARY WALL
84
-
PUBLIC TELEPHONE
24
-
GARBAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM
84
-
DRAINAGE SYSTEM
FARMERS’ REST HOUSE
55
61
89
COMMON BATH ROOMS
27
98
COMMON TOILETS
88
9816
CANTEEN
43
97
DRINKING WATER TAPS
28
100
FACILITY/AMENITIES
SOURCE :DMI
RECOMMENDATIONS OF INTER-MINISTERIAL TASK
FORCE ON MARKETING REFORMS
-
PROMOTIN OF COMPETITIVE AGRICULTURAL MARKETS IN PRIVATE
AND CO-OPERATIVE SECTORS, DIRECT MARKETING AND
CONTRACT FARMING PROGRAMMES BY AMENDING THE STATE
APMC ACTS AND TO PROVIDE CENTRAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF MARKETING INFRASTRUCTURE SUBJECT TO
SUCH REGULATION AND REFORMS.
-
PROGRESSIVE DISMANTLING OF CONTROL AND REGULATIONS
UNDER THE ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES ACT
-
PLEDGE, FINANCING TO ENHANCE FARMERS’ HOLDING CAPACITY
TO OBTAIN BETTER PRICES
-
INTRODUCING NEGOTIABLE WAREHOUSING RECEIPT SYSTEM FOR
AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES
-
FUTURES TRADING IN ALL AGRICUTLURAL COMMODITIES
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
NATIONAL COMMISSION ON FARMERS
-
AUCTION SYSTEMS AT THE REGUALTED MARKETS NEEDS TO BE
MADE MORE TRANSPERENT
-
DELAYS IN THE MANDIES BE AVOIDED
-
ROLE OF APMC/SAMBS SHOULD CHANGE FROM REGULATION TO
PROMOTION OF GRADING, BRANDING, PACKAGING AND
DEVELOPMENT OF DISTANT AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS FOR
THE LOCAL PRODUCTS
-
ESTABLISHMENT
ORGANISATIONS
-
FIXING QUALITY STANDARDS AND COMPULSORY GRADING BEFORE
SALE IN THE REGULATED MARKETS IN A PHASED MANNER
-
SUPPORT TO INITIATIVES SUCH AS ITC’S E-CHAUPAL OR NDDB’S
SAFAL
-
A FARMER CENTRIC’ CODE OF CONDUCT FOR CONTRACT FARMING
-
SETTING UP OF INFORMATION KIOKS IN THE MARKETS
OF
COMMODITY
BASED
FARMERS’
SOME RECENT INITIATIVES FOR AGRI-MARKETING
REFORMS
-
A MODEL LAW ON AGRICULTURAL MARKETING
-
AMENDMENTS IN APMC ACTS
-
CONTRACT FARMING
-
DIRECT MARKETING
-
DILUTION OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES
COMMODITIES (AMENDMENT BILL, 2005)
-
FUTURES TRADING
-
FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS BILL, 2005
-
WAREHOUSING (DEVELOPMENT AND REGUALTION) BILL, 2005
-
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN AGRICULTRUAL MARKETING
-
TERMINAL MARKETS
-
CENTRE FOR PERISHABLE CARGO
-
AEZs AND SEZs
-
PROMOTION OF FARMERS’ ORGANISATIONS-INCLUDING, SHGs
AND PRODUCER COMPANIES
ACT-ESSENTIAL
UNFINISHED TASKS
- PREPARING THE ROAD MAP FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND
PROVIDING THE MISSING LINKS IN AGRICULTURAL MARKETING
- STRENGTHENING OF AGRICULTURAL MARKETING INFRASTRUCTURE
- ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR INCREASED PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN
AGRI-MARKET DEVELOPMENT
- RATIONAISATION OF MARKET FEES AND TAXES
- STRENGTHENING OF FUTURES TRADING
- ENABLING THE FARMERS TO PARTICIPATE AND BENEFIT FROM
AGRO-PROCESSING AND VALUE ADDITION THROUGH FORMATION OF
PRODUCER COMPANIES
- REMOVING THE EXISTING SHORT COMINGS OF CONTRACT FARMING
- APPROPRIATE, ALBEIT FARMER FRIENDLY EXPROT-IMPORT POLICY
- EXPLOITING THE
LIBERALISATION
OPPORTUNITIES
OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE
- DEALING WITH WTO RELATED ISSUES SUCH AS –WTO COMPATIBLE
SUBSIDIES, FTSs, RTAs ETC.