These bills, expected to bring revolutionary changes to agrarian context and help double farmers' incomes. While the bills have been met with a huge commotion by the opposition and have led to protests by farmers' organisations across India. The three bills, now Act, namely, the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance, Farm Services Bill, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020. This article talks about the three acts and the major arguments surrounding them.

The Three Farm Acts

1.Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce Act, 2020

This bill allows farmers to engage in trade of their agricultural produce outside the physical markets as notified under various state Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee laws (APMC acts).

Issues

The Opposition argues that the aforementioned 'benefits' under the Act would lead to the corporatisation of agriculture as it might not find adequate demand for their produce. Most farmers are small landowners and do not have the means to transport their produce to large distances.

2.Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance, Farm Services Act, 2020

The bill seeks to provide farmers with a framework to engage in contract farming, where farmers can enter into a direct agreement with a buyer (prior to sowing season) to sell the product to them at pre-determined prices.

Issues

The principal concern sponsors may not necessarily pay a fair price to the farmers for their produce due to the lack of the farmers' ability to fairly Further, the entire farmer industry will fall into the hands of the capitalists who exploit the land and the farmers for their own private needs, impacting the agro-ecological diversity of the country.

3.Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020

An amendment to the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, this bill seeks to restrict the powers of the government concerning production, supply, and distribution of certain key commodities.

Issues

The changes in the regulation of stock limits were introduced to harness private sector/foreign direct investment in the agricultural industry. This would legitimise hoarding, with the government having no information on the location and ownership of stocks.

How can we help you?

The three bills on reforming the agrarian markets mean little to the farmers also without a coherent vision and blueprint for Indian agriculture that adds to more chaos to the situation. However, the protesting farmers are misled or confused is to evade these crucial issues. The farmers across India can fight for their rights. So, we at Online Legal India™ can help you and make this process simple and easy.