The ordinance to bring changes to the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act is against the federal system and is against the interests of farmers, said Opposition leader and Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah.
Addressing reporters, Siddaramaiah said: “Direction given by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare on May 5 dictating Chief Minister of Karnataka to bring in Ordinance to amend APMC Act is against the interests of farmers. This direction to a State, in a federal structure like us, is against the principles of democracy.”
“The reason behind the ordinance to amend APMC Act, by the Union Agriculture ministry, is to increase the profit for farmers, but it is not true. The main motive is to enable private multinational companies to completely replace APMCs,” he said.
Siddaramaiah said: “The State government has passed the ordinance due to lobby of multinational companies. Karnataka’s Chief Minister should have discussed this with farmers before taking the decision. Agriculture falls under State list and Union Agriculture Ministry cannot dictate states.”
“We asked Chief Minister to call an all-party meeting. We gave many suggestions, which this government did not consider. We also took a delegation and gave a memorandum about farmers, daily wage workers, road side vendors, barbers, problems faced by the unorganised sector. But this government didn’t consider any of it,” he added.
The ordinance to amend APMC Act will take away the regulatory authority of APMCs over procurement of agriculture produce by private entities. “This will allow private companies to dictate the supply and demand which threatens food security and guaranteed price for farmers,” said Siddaramaiah.
He added: “Only 6 per cent farmers in India have access to APMCs. If the government really wants to help farmers, they can allow private entities to open market but the regulatory authority of those markets should remain with APMCs.”