The Modi government, which has engaged itself in achieving its goal of doubling farmers' incomes by 2002, is finding the issue of ensuring a proper remunerative price for crops a major challenge.
It is generally seen that farmers take interest in those crops which they hope will fetch them attractive returns and the produce of these crops increases, but it do not fetch them a proper price.
For example, in this year's kharif season, cotton was considered the crop of choice.
Cotton has started coming to the markets but it is seen that it is being sold there at an average of Rs 400 - 500 below the government - set Minimum Support Price (MSP).
However, those crops, whose produce is lesser, sell for above the MSP.
An example is maize, which is selling for twice of last year's rate.
In this situation, it is crucial to see how farmers can get proper prices for crops which are produced in larger quantities, despite the government regularly raising the MSPs.
Agricultural experts say that this will only be possible when government ensures that crops are sold at the MSP throughout the country, but for this, the necessary basic facilities are not available in all the states.
Agricultural economist Devender Sharma told IANS that the Shantakumar Committee's report had said that throughout the country, only six per cent of the farmers get the benefit of selling at the MSP level.
He said that apart from wheat and paddy, very little quantity of other crops are bought by the government, and even for wheat and rice, the total government off - take is only 30 per cent.
According to Agriculture Ministry statistics, the production of paddy and wheat last year was 11. 64 crore tonnes and 10. 21 crore tonnes, respectively.
Food Corporation of India statistics reveal that of this, the government purchased 4. 43 crore tonnes of paddy and 3. 41 crore tonnes of wheat.
Sharma agreed that ensuring proper prices was a challenge for the government, stressing that unless this was achieved, the goal of increasing their income would remain elusive.
He said that at this point, there are 7, 600 Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) mandis in India, whereas to ensure a mandi in five km radius will need around 4, 200 mandis to be set up.
Agricultural and business law expert Vijay Sardana said that apart from ensuring the proper functioning of the APMC mandis, the involvement of farmers in them must be increased and then only will they get proper prices for their produce.
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