Final pdf 05 October, 2020

The International News Weekly October 05, 2020 | Toronto
12
Active cases hit
first-ever plateau
With 936,089 active cases of Covid-19, as of Sunday night, India appears to have
stemmed the rise in the crucial statistic for the first time as the figure remained
below the million mark for 14 consecutive days. This is the first time since the start
of the pandemic that the total number of active cases in the country has seen a
sustained decline for two weeks. A look at how this change happened, and which
states are driving the trend:
Several crops sell
below MSPs amid farm
legislation debate
NEW DELHI : A range of kharif, or summer-sown,
crops are selling below federally
fixed minimum support prices (MSPs),
or floor rates, as record output dampens
prices at a time when farmers are protesting
against a set of laws enacted recently to
liberalise farm trade in the country.
Crops, such as soyabean, ragi, maize
and cotton, are selling up to 30% below
MSPs, data from Agmarknet, the agriculture
ministry’s portal that tracks prices in
mandis or wholesale markets, show.
Poor returns from crops have been a
lingering problem for farmers, especially
during episodes of gluts, such as now.
MSPs, which are fixed at 50% over cost
for nearly two dozen crops, don’t necessarily
lead to higher farm incomes as the
government’s procurement at MSP rates
is largely restricted to wheat and rice. For
most other crops, farmers are mostly price
takers, meaning they are forced to accept
whatever the markets dictate.
Output of kharif foodgrains this year
is likely to touch a record 144.5 million
tonnes, marginally higher than last year’s
143.4 million tonnes.
The unprofitable sales come despite
the government’s assurances of robust procurement
at MSP rates. For example, the
government last week announced that it
would procure 1.4 million tonnes of pulses
and oilseeds at MSP rates. However, at just
about 15% of the total production, this is
too small a quantity to make a difference in
prices offered by private entities.
For efficient farm markets, the government
recently enacted three laws, allowing
farmers to bypass state-controlled market
yards run by agricultural produce market
committees (APMCs) and enter into
five-year farming contracts with agribusinesses.
The government also freed up several
commonly consumed food items from
strict stocking limits that discouraged private
investment in cold storages.
Farmers’ groups are protesting against
the reforms, including the move to end the
monopoly of APMCs, because they fear
deregulation will leave them vulnerable
to powerful agribusinesses and in an even
weaker negotiating position than before.
They also fear the reforms may weaken
the MSP mechanism. The wholesale price
for soyabean during September 16-23 in 9
states worked out to `3,683.02 per quintal
(100 kg), against the promised MSP of `3,880
per quintal, ministry data shows.
Rahul vows to scrap laws once
Congress forms govt at Centre
MOGA/LUDHIANA :
Sharpening his attack on
the BJP-led NDA government
over the new agriculture
laws, former Congress
president Rahul Gandhi on
Sunday said they will scrap
these contentious legislations
once the Congress returns
to power at the Centre.
Launching the threeday
‘kheti bachao yatra’
along with Punjab chief
minister Capt Amarinder
Singh and a battery of Congress
leaders at Moga district’s
Badhni Kalan village,
the Gandhi scion vowed to
fight till end against the legislations
passed during Parliament’s
monsoon session
and extended his party’s
“firm support” to the agrarian
community. “Some chosen
corporate houses are
dictating the Centre’s policy
decisions. Land of farmers
in the states like Punjab and
Haryana is facing the threat
of acquisition by powerful
business houses,” he said
while addressing the gathering
in Moga.
The Congress’s state
unit tried to put a united
face with sulking Amritsar
(East) MLA Navjot Singh
Sidhu, a bete noire of the
Amarinder, also attending
the march after staying
away from party events
for months. He was invited
over cabinet ministers to
address the gathering. Rahul
also released a `kisanmazdoor
ekta’ (farm labourer
unity) flag.