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Arthiyas in Punjabs
APMC Mandis
Inadequate Analysis and Solutions
Sukhpal Singh
A critique of Commission
Agent System: Significance in
Contemporary Agricultural
Economy of Punjab by Sukhpal
Singh and Shruti Bhogal
(EPW, 7 November 2015).
EPW
april 9, 2016
DISCUSSION
can be bought directly from farmers outside the mandi under an APMC licence.
Further, it is a fact that the commissions
are much higher in F&V markets due to
high value of produce and higher wastage
involved. But delisting of F&V produce
has nothing to do with the issues analysed by the authors as they only deal
with non-perishable produce markets.
Therefore, it is ironic that they have not
cared to separate the discussion on the
two issues. This will mislead readers
who are not familiar with nuances of the
APMC markets in India.
It is surprising that at a time when the
state should control less of markets in a
state like Punjab where it has caused
enough damage, Singh and Bhogal argue
for an enhanced role of the state. They
are unmindful of the new initiatives
like the FPCs, and unaware that mechanisms like direct purchase from farmers
and private wholesale markets could
provide a break from the past. The issue
of National Agricultural Market and
70
References
Krishnamurthy, M (2014): The Political Economy
of Agricultural Markets: Insights from Within
and Across Regions, IDFC Rural Development
Network, India Rural Development Report, New
Delhi: Orient Blackswan, Chapter 4.
Singh, S (2012): Institutional and Policy Aspects of
Punjab Agriculture: A Smallholder Perspective,
Economic & Political Weekly, 47 (4).
Different Markets
The biggest flaw in Singh and Bhogals
argument is that it begins with the issue
of delisting of fruits and vegetables
(F&V) from APM Act as suggested by the
union government in the past few years
but uses evidence from non-perishable
produce markets. They do not realise
that the two markets and their dynamics
are very different from each other even
though they may be under the same act.
Most of the perishable produce markets
are still unregulated; and those of
foodgrains and other produce are generally more regulated in bigger agricultural
states like Punjab.
The ill-conceived move to delist F&Vs
was based on the flawed logic that food
inflation is largely due to the delays and
wastages caused by the APMC rules. The
APMC made it mandatory for perishable
produce to pass through the mandis; it is
only a half-truth, as in most states under
the amended APMC Act, fresh produce
Mary E John
Tejaswini Madabhushi,
Maranatha Grace T Wahlang, Gitanjali Joshua
Rape as Atrocity in Contemporary Haryana Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression
Reporting Sexual Violence in India:
What Has Changed since the Delhi Gang Rape?
Divya Arya
Srimati Basu
V Geetha
april 9, 2016
vol lI no 15
EPW