Don’t scuttle agri-reforms, fears of corporate capture unfounded: FISME

New Delhi, Dec 3 (KNN) Likening the current agitation by farmers with campaigning by small scale industries (SSIs) in 1990s during the first burst of reforms, Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) has dubbed  the fears of agriculture sector by corporates as ‘unfounded’.

In an appeal issued to Unions of farmers and truckers and opposition political parties, FISME has said that the reforms carried out through two new legislation and an amendment, would pave way for contract farming, remove restrictions on movement and storage of agri produce facilitating investment in pre and post harvest infrastructure.

“While appealing to the opposition  parties to consider agri reforms in national interest and help educate farmers, may we request the government to engage the farmers and opposition in diffusing the impending crisis” FISME appealed.

“The reforms have the potential to increase income of farmers, reduce waste by aligning the demand and supply of agriculture produce”, FISME stated.

A long standing concern among economists against India has been lack of reforms in agriculture sector.  After 30 years, the present government took the plunge and passed three legislation ending monopoly of APMCs and freeing farmers from selling their produce anywhere in India.

It is sad to see how a section of farmers from Punjab and Haryana are misled by the opposition parties against the Acts.

FISME feared that the blockade of Delhi may spread to other highways as Trucker’s Union also threatened to join which might further disrupt the nascent economic recovery.