-Livemint.com * Mint spoke with farmers in different states and reports their views on the new laws that seek to liberalize India’s agriculture markets In a historic rejig, the government has enacted a new set of laws which seeks to liberalize farm trade, give freedom to farmers to sell their produce outside regulated mandis and enter into contracts with buyers at a pre-agreed price, in the hope that free markets will help...

-The Tribune With APMC markets heading towards a collapse, the new set of reforms is aimed at encouraging corporatisation, with big business moving into agriculture, storage and marketing. As the experience of US/Europe shows, when unregulated markets become dominant, small farmers are the first to be pushed out of agriculture. Reiterating what former US Agriculture Secretary Earl Butz (during Ronald Reagan’s rule) had declared: “Get big or get out,” Sonny Perdue, US...

-The Indian Express Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill: The government has sought to project the farm Bill as “creating an ecosystem” where farmers will enjoy the “freedom of choice” to sell to anyone, anywhere in the country. On many occasions, it isn’t the law but what it appears to convey and the context in which it is framed that holds relevance. This certainly is the case with the...

-Press release by Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movements dated 23rd September, 2020 ICCFM is a non-partisan national alliance of farmers movements representing 12 farmers' organizations across India based in UP, MP, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and Haryana. Bharatiya Kisan Union, Karnataka State Farmers Association, Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangham are among the major farmer movement. As with many other farmers organizations in this country, ICCFM is gravely worried about the anti-farmer bills...

-The Indian Express The data was shared with Rajya Sabha Friday by Raosaheb Patil Danve, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, who gave a written reply to an unstarred question. The number of wheat farmers who availed the minimum support price (MSP) has doubled in the last five years, while the number of such paddy farmers has increased by 70 per cent during the same period, according to...