TAD NewsDesk, Kerala: Kerala had sidelined the three acts passed by the Centre which most of the states are also opposing.
The economic review 2020 tabled in the legislative assembly on Thursday listed the adverse impact of three acts:
- Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020
- The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020
- The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 — enacted by the Centre.
With regard to the economic review cited state’s response to point out that if APMC (agricultural produce market committee) mandis are weakened and if private markets do not replace them, the regulatory system in agricultural markets will collapse and the dominance of anarchic and unregulated traders will return to rural India.
However, it is also important to note that regarding MSP they had a consensus. If the policies of procurement and Minimum Support Price (MSPs) are less favoured and private markets come to dominate agricultural marketing, the instrument of MSPs will be rendered sterile.
With regard to the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020, the review noted that globally, contract farming systems are also associated with an increase in labour displacement, intensified casualization of labour, increased use of low-paid women workers and child labour and a propagation of monoculture in search of quick profits.
The assessment of losses in crop husbandry sector in agriculture due to Covid-19 pegs total loss at Rs.1,731.78 crore for the period from March to July 2020, as per economic review. Agricultural labourers suffered loss of about Rs.200.3 crore. The assessment by state planning board showed that domestic prices of most agricultural crops, livestock products, and fish fell sharply after the lockdown began.
The estimated loss in the vegetable sector from April 2020 to July 2020 is Rs. 221.93 crore. The total loss estimated for bananas and plantains up to July 2020 is about Rs.269 crore. The losses in the cashew sector and tuber crop is estimated as Rs.10 crore and Rs.30 crore, respectively.
The Economic Review aimed at providing and helping farmers out of the situation these acts have forced the into. The state is sympathetic to their cause and wants to help them in every way they can.
Source: Times of India
