Prompt Payment And Better Price: Madhya Pradesh Farmers Choose Businessmen Over Mandis To Sell Produce

Madhya Pradesh mandis have reportedly witnessed a 21 per cent drop in the incoming produce in the wake of the new agricultural reform bills and the amendments in the mandi act.

Local reports suggest that small farmers are demanding a prompt payment for their produce, and they are heading to businessmen for selling their produce instead of the mandis.

The farmers have reportedly said that they are getting a good price for their produce outside the mandi and that gives them no reason to depend on the mandi.

This has impacted the incoming produce at the mandis in Adivasi dominated districts and mandis in areas of Gwalior, Ujjain and Indore, the report says.

A farmer, Suresh Patidar from Jawra has been quoted as saying that getting the produce weighed at the businessmen's outlets is saving their expense and giving them impressive returns.

The state has 298 mandis.

Another farmer has been quoted as saying that many farmers are now making a choice between the mandi and the businessmen as per their convenience, and the price they are getting for the produce.

The report has said that 19 lakh farmers had registered to sell their wheat produce at minimum support price in this season. Out of these, 15.93 lakh farmers went to mandis. This indicates that around three lakh farmers did not come to the mandi to sell their produce.

Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel had said last week that the Madhya Pradesh government would work towards boosting infrastructure at mandis in the state by establishing shops for subsidised agricultural products and malls within the mandi premises.

He has said that a huge number of farmers sell their produce at the mandis and the income has increased by 1 crore this year as compared to last year.

The farmers have said that they have got an opportunity to escape the middle men.