When food is the most essential commodity for our existence, shouldn’t Farmers be the richest in the country? Why are they the poorest?

Let’s understand how vegetable/fruits reach you, the consumer..

-> A farmer sells his produce in “Mandi” or local market via agents. Mandi is regulated by Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC).

-> APMC consists of farmers, government employees & traders. Vegetables/fruits etc are “auctioned” to the highest bidders.

-> This system seems “fair”. Farmers must be quite profitable. Right?

But NO

-> Traders collude amongst themselves & quote a low price. They don’t bid against each other. Farmers are screwed.

-> Then, why don’t the farmers sell it elsewhere? Because it is illegal for farmers to sell outside their allocated “mandi”.

-> The farmers don’t even get 25% of what you pay at the grocery store.

How can the farmers be saved???

=> An obvious solution is for “The Center” to enable farmers to sell outside their “mandi” & in fact, their states.

Free markets.

=> They can form organisations, avoid middlemen & sell to MNCs directly.

What do you think???