By: Eris Lowdermilk
Lately, there have been farmers protesting in India.
In September, India had issued three agricultural bills. They were soon after made laws such as the Food Corporation of India (FCI), which is a government program that buys wheat and rice from farmers and then sells them to the poor communities of India at a more affordable price.
This government program is very costly per year but is also very beneficial for farmers who compete with large agricultural businesses. As a result, there was a surplus of supplies, and the FCI is attempting to quit this practice.
The distribution of wealth varies throughout the different states of India, therefore some states take more advantage of this program from the FCI, while others can’t due to the lack of infrastructure.
For example, states in the north get a better price in comparison to the south. Protests began in the north, but a contributing factor is the years of tension in the agriculture of India in general. About 70% of the population directly depend on agriculture, yet it only takes up about 15% of the GDP.
The main issues are land being used for private industry, ridiculous prices, and decreasing support for agriculture.
The goal the government wants to achieve is making agriculture a free market.
Nosowitz, Dan. (2020, December 9). What’s Going on With All These Farmer Protests in India? Modern Farmer. https://modernfarmer.com/2020/12/whats-going-on-with-all-these-farmer-protests-in-india/
