-Down to Earth Western UP farmers say they have become aware of their rights due to the protest and will vote on them The year-long farmers’ protest against the three farm laws and on granting a legal status to minimum support price (MSP) is likely to play a role when farmers from western Uttar Pradesh (UP) cast their votes February 10, 2022. The 2020-21 protest and several mahapanchayats during that time saw a...

-The Hindu Business Line There is no guarantee farmers’ income will rise as the methodology for estimating cost of production is outdated, defective Although the farmers’ agitation that lasted over one year was finally called-off, their demand for a law guaranteeing minimum support prices (MSP) for crops is continuing. Can the MSP be legalised in a country that produces about 1,000 million tonnes of agri-commodities? If so, who will benefit from it?...

-MoneyControl.com India has suspended futures trading in seven commodities with immediate effect in its latest move to rein in soaring inflation. The Finance Ministry has suspended trading in futures contracts of some agricultural commodities for one year to reign in inflation. Trading in seven commodities - paddy (non-basmati), wheat, chana, mustard seeds and its derivatives, soya bean and its derivatives, crude palm oil and moong - has been suspended with immediate effect, according...

-Down to Earth The concept is unreasonable and will be detrimental to the country’s agricultural system, feel experts On November 19, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision to repeal the three farm laws, he also stated that the government would form a committee to discuss how the system of minimum support price (MSP) could be more effective. One of the key demands of the protesting farmers is that MSP is provided...

One is almost certain to hear this from an economist that if something is available at free of cost or at a subsidised rate thanks to government intervention, then people tend to overuse or overconsume such goods/ commodities. So, the best solution is to create a market for such 'almost freely available' or 'highly subsidised' goods or commodities. Once people start paying to use or consume such goods/ commodities, they...