Farmers second leg of agitations have begun since February 13, 2024 and there is not end in sight since the Centre is not ready to even talk to the agitating farmers, while the farmers’ leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal is fast unto death and Punjab-Haryana border at Khanauri since November 26. While there are signs of escalation of the farmers’ continuing agitation, new controversies on agricultural marketing are in making, on account of the Draft National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, which was published on Union Ministry’s website on November 25, 2024, inviting comments from stakeholders within 15 days.

The draft policy framework has been labelled by the farmers’ unions as an effort of the backdoor entry for the withdrawn three controversial farm laws - the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act. The limited window timeframe given for response has also contributed in raising suspicion among farmers regarding true intention of the Centre.

Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Singh Mann alleged in a press conference in Chandigarh on January 2, 2025, that the Centre was trying to “bring back” the now-repealed farm laws through the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing. It may by mentioned that the Centre has recently framed the draft of this new policy.

Rejecting the draft National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, which was sent to the state government for comments last month, Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Mann said that his government would oppose any move of the Centre to pass such “anti-farmer” laws through backdoor. “The Centre had rolled back the now repealed farm laws. Now, they are trying to bring these back in some other way,” CM Mann said.

He said, “Punjab and Haryana’s mandi system is very strong and they are again talking of ending this system. We don’t support this. Agriculture is a state subject. They have sought suggestions from us on the draft, but Punjab cannot accept it … We are sending it in writing that we are not going to accept it.”

The draft policy is silent on farmers’ current demand of legal guarantee for MSP for their crops and implementation of Swaminathan formula for calculating MSP. However, it talks about 12 reforms, which include allowing private wholesale markets to be set up and permitting the direct wholesale purchase by processors, exporters, organised retailers and bulk buyers. Farmers, both from Haryana and Punjab and their unions have also expressed their concerns on the Centre’s draft policy on agricultural marketing.

Farmers’ concerns about the draft National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing remains almost the same as were in respect the three controversial farm laws, which Modi government had got passed from the parliament of India in August 2020. Samyukta Kisan Morcha had called for Delhi March against the laws and farmers were stopped at Delhi borders on November 26, 2020, where they sat on indefinite sit-in protest. After one year of farmers’ agitation, PM Narendra Modi had unilaterally withdrawn the controversial farm laws in November 2021 on the occasion for Guru Parva. The historic farmers’ agitation was called off in December 2021 on written assurance from the Centre to consider their genuine demands. However, farmers felt cheated, since the assurances were not met even after one year. Farmers started their second leg of agitation from November 26, 2023 through a series of protest demonstrations in the following months.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha called for Delhi March in January 2024. They started their march from Punjab on February 13, 2024, but were stopped by Haryana police on Shambhu and Khanauri borders. Since then, they are their on sit-in protests.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) that led the first leg of farmers’ agitation against the three controversial farm laws, which they alleged were anti-farmer and Centre’s effort to bring Corporate to farm, in 2020-21, had also organized a nationwide protest against the draft National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing on December 23, 2024. They have sent memorandums through District Collectors and Magistrates of over 500 districts to the President of India Droupadi Murmu seeking her intervention to facilitate talks with the Centre on the issue.

Farmers’ unions allege that the new draft policy is also anti-farmer, pro-corporate, and an effort to bring Corporate to farm. The real objective of the present draft policy is the same as it was of the now-repealed three controversial farm laws of 2020, against which SKM led a historical farmers movement.

The Centre on the other hand has claimed that the proposed National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing would establish a Unified Agriculture Market for better farmers’ income and enhance market efficiency.

Nevertheless, the draft policy is also likely to face stiff opposition by other states too, since it proposes a reform committee modelled after GST Council, which is supposed to facilitate consensus among states and oversee the adoption of the reforms. Punjab has already voiced its concern alleging it undermines the federal structure that too on a state subject like agriculture, and would make states more dependent on the Centre for revenue. (IPA Service)