Maharashtra government should bring comprehensive farm law: Raju Shetti

Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana president Raju Shetti has urged the state government to bring a comprehensive Bill on farm laws.

“The Maharashtra government should evolve its own comprehensive farm law. The Maha Vikas Aghadi government should hold wider consultations with farmer organisations before bringing a new agriculture Act,” Shetti said.

According to Shetti, “The Maharashtra government should make licence mandatory for traders procuring produce from farmers. At present there is no mechanism to check exploitation of farmers by traders.”

The Maharashtra government Bill to amend the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 was presented by Agriculture Minister Dadasaheb Bhuse. It stated that farming agreements shall not be valid unless the price paid to the farmer is equal to or greater than the MSP. It also proposed that the farmers and sponsor can make an agreement below MSP with mutual consent for maximum of two years.

According to Shetti, the above law will not help farmers, and allowing a mutual farming agreement below MSP becomes a handy provision for traders to take advantage of farmers.