Will the Mandi Raj be back with a bang?

Hyderabad: Will the repeal of three farm laws bring back the Mandi Raj? Will it be detrimental to the interests of farmers?

Sources in the State government say that the present process of procurement has certain shortcomings. Now that the farm laws have been repealed, farmers will have to pay "about Rs 360 as different charges which would go to different persons, from the time, paddy is procured till it reaches the rice mill.

The main complaint of farmers is about 'cheating' that takes place at the market yard. Citing poor quality of paddy as reason, they are denied MSP. They even allege that before the farm laws were enacted, members of the market committees used to form cartels with the millers and other traders to deprive farmers of their due. Besides, farmers were also charged cess as well as other fee as per the decisions of the committees. The risk of all this coming back again stares at their face.

A rice miller from Karimnagar pointed out that buying paddy at MSP could be a costly proposition for them; instead if they buy a truckload of recycled rice, he can earn a profit of about Rs 1 lakh. It shows that the governments are not addressing the real issue as to why rice was sold for recycling?

As far as middlemen's role is not contained and the loopholes are not plugged- hardly one can expect a farmer would ever get remunerative price for his produce. Also, when the farmer, as a supplier, is not recovering his cost how can he sustain his agri activity. Currently, Rs 350 going to the third parties should either reach farmers or the millers. But that is not happening. With the re-entry of AMCs running the show, unless the screw is tightened, the old system of Mandi Raj would be back with rule by middlemen and cartels, the sources cautioned.