-Newsclick.in The crisis of falling onion prices is killing farmers in Maharashtra. The highest onion growing district, Nasik, has witnessed 18 farmers suicides within the first 20 days of 2019. Last week the photo of a farmer lying dead on the onion crop in his farm went viral on social media in Maharashtra, bringing the already deepening crisis of onion price into headlines again. Reactions started pouring in from all corners. The...

-The Economic Times blog As policymakers debate what form of income support will cure India’s extensive farm distress, we have a study whose insights suggest that the right policy has to look beyond ratcheting up support prices to unsustainable levels and cash transfers to farmers. Agricultural policy is deeply flawed and calls for structural reform. This crisis can no longer be contained with band-aid. It calls for proper diagnosis and remedy. Such...

-The Indian Express Implicitly taxed through restrictive marketing and trade policies, farmers need a stable income policy. The Narendra Modi government is entering its proverbial “last 10 overs”. All the stops are being pulled to win over targeted segments of society that could potentially bring the BJP/NDA back to office. One important segment, perhaps the largest one, is that of farmers. The attempt to woo them by announcing higher minimum support prices...

-The Pioneer Government policies for the pulses sector have helped overcome multiple challenges. Effective implementation of an integrated module can solve most farm problems Agricultural transformation is high on everybody’s agenda today. Various stakeholders, including experts, policy-makers and political executives, have expressed their views on how to move forward with agricultural policies so that our farmers can prosper. However, performance of policies and strategies that are already in their implementation stage will...

-The Indian Express The existing MSP-based procurement system is fiscally unsustainable. The time has come to consider market intelligence-based regulation of crop production Farmers are always in distress when prices of their produce are subdued. The response of governments, obviously prompted by political pressures, has been to sharply hike minimum support prices (MSP) of crops or declare loan waivers. Thus, the current government at the Centre has significantly raised the MSPs of...