The Mistreatment of Punjabi Farmers
Who are the Punjabi Farmers?
The passionate faces of the many protests from the Punjab farmer demonstrations.
source: Indian Express
Nearly 58% of India’s population get their primary income from agriculture. Farmers make up half of India and many of their produce has made their way into our very own American grocery stores. “Indian food and grocery market is the world’s sixth largest, with retail contributing 70% of the sales”(Agriculture in India: Information About India Agriculture & Its Importance). From local farmers to those in massive industries, their contribution to society is immense. However, the government has been disrespecting their hard work and disregarding their opinion.
Recently, three new legislations were passed with the intent of helping farmers’ businesses grow. The first was The Farmers Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill. Its goal was to provide a regulatory framework for contract cultivation, meaning farmers would be able to create a contract with a buyer and have a set price for the produce before production starts. This reduces the chances of farmers losing money on a product as well as allowing the buyer to be guaranteed a high-quality product in the future.
The second legislature, The Essential Commodities Act Bill, aims to do away with the Centre’s powers to impose stock holding limits on foodstuffs, except under “extraordinary conditions”. The central government would only be allowed to interfere with stock supply during disasters such as a famine or war. This allows the farmers more freedom to regulate their supply and stock pricing.
The third and final law, The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce Bill, was implemented to promote efficient, transparent, and barrier-free inter-State and intra-State trade and commerce of farmer’s produce outside the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC).
These 3 laws were passed on September 20th, 2020 with the purpose of aiding the farmers and creating more paths to success. The governments’ well intended actions, unfortunately, only led to more issues.
The Disconnect Between India’s Government and its People
Indian Parliament Building
source: The Hindu
Many farmers, after hearing of these new bills, became worried that no one would buy their produce and they would soon go in debt. Farmers fear that this may be the end of the mandi system, which are the primary agricultural markets that are old and deep-rooted in the economic history of India, and farmers will have to start relying on corporations. Each of these laws were passed without the input of the farmers, thus creating a disconnect between the government and its people. The bills are very vague in their phrasing and elaboration. This isn’t surprising considering they were only introduced 6 days before they were passed-the creation of them was very rushed. That left very little time for serious consideration and allowed for many holes to be poked into these new legislations.
Take the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce Bill for example. That bill alone was meant to create opportunities for farmers to attract more buyers, allowing them to get even better prices. Unfortunately, just allowing farmers to have more control over their trade outside of the APMC doesn’t necessarily mean they will receive more offers. In 2006, an APMC Act was repealed after trying to do the same thing but failed due to a lack of structure with pricing and produce arrival (The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020). Additionally, without the proper licensing, farmers can be at risk of fraud by trading with non-licensed buyers.
The AMPC has had a history of overcharging and exploiting farmers, so these three ordinances helped give farmers freedom from its rule. Farmers are finding that private trading is much more difficult than through the AMPC. Trade between farmers and large companies have led to instances of fraud and has been proven to be no better than working under the AMPC.
From corruption within the AMPC to the government’s failed efforts to help farmers, there always seems to be miscommunication between the two. Farmers are beginning to speak out, showing us they have something to say about the matter.
The Farmers’ Response
In November, a nationwide strike that involved 250 million people from across India took place in support of the Punjab farmers.
source: CTV News
Farmers have begun to protest. Punjabi farmers in New Delhi blocked highways and barricades protesting the new agricultural laws. Thousands of farmers, from not only Punjab, but also from Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh have traveled far as they march towards the nation’s capital in New Delhi. They have yet to receive the support needed from their respective state governments, so they decided to head to the nation’s capital to demand change. They want the national government to withdraw the three laws or guarantee them a minimum support price (MSP) by creating a new law. MSP is a safety net for farmers so they have a guaranteed price and an assured market when they sell their produce.
From Monday, December 14th, tens of thousands of farmers have gone on national strike, creating petitions to repeal the new laws. They have threatened to block trains and highways, all with the intention of getting the government's attention. “With nearly 60% of the Indian population depending on agriculture for their livelihoods, the growing farmer rebellion has rattled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration and its allies” (Protesting Indian farmers call for second strike in a week).
How this Affects You
A laboring farmer in Bihar.
source: Feminism In India
From the outside looking in, many may not consider this an issue that pertains to them, but that could not be further from the truth. India procures about 68% of the world’s spices and is the leading exporter of rice and milk. The production of many of these foods American’s consume daily, are produced in states like Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi where the majority of the protests are taking place.
With farmers on strike, a strain is placed on the trade between India and other foreign countries, such as the US. We cannot afford to lose this income of supply, making this issue not just local, but global.
How to Help
You can help by speaking out on your own individual platforms about this issue affecting millions. These farmers can use as many voices as possible to make sure their protests do not go unseen and unheard. Get your family and friends to sign petitions, share on social media, and don’t let this situation be swept under the rug.
Khalsa Aid - you can donate money to help protesters spread their message
Sahaitai - helps aid families who are being affected during this time
UNITED SIKHS - Save our Farmers - raises money for ambulances, rent for public transportation, home materials, and many other necessary resources
“The ear of the leader must ring with the voice of the people.”
