Sep 30, 2020
AMUL’s Managing Director R. S. Sodhi has voiced in unison with the Farm bills passed recently expressing his words for a free market for farmers by making an interesting comparison between the expanded market of milk and grain. Sodhi has tweeted to say how freedom to sell milk has led to prosperity for dairy producers.
In lieu of the Bills, Sodhi said, “Few may know Milk is India’s largest crop worth Rs. 8 lac crore more than the combined value of wheat, paddy and sugarcane and farmers are free to sell and buyer free to buy this perishable from anywhere fighting competition at village level”.
In his recent speech the PM said that these new reforms will enable farmers to sell their produce anywhere as is the case with those who sell their produce-vegetables and fruits anywhere they like. This freedom is their strength and the same would be available to the farmers of grains, underlined the PM making a strong case for the free market for farmers.
Praising the virtues of a free market for producers whether it is of milk or grains, Sodhi reminds that due to the compulsion of selling produce to a restricted market has led to a continual decline of the contribution of agriculture in GDP, while the same has been on the rise in the case of dairy.
Sodhi’s tweet on the issue reads “Whereas contribution of agriculture to national GDP is declining, Milk contribution is increasing every year and so is the share of milk in farmers income, thanks to freedom to sell anyone”.
Many have supported Sodhi on his bold account, but there were a few who disagreed with him on the bills. One of his followers wrote it very well saying “No MSP for milk. Cooperatives help. No middlemen. That’s the way forward for crops too. #FarmBill2020”.
Stated another follower, “All the more reason that one fine week there is no rush and arm twisting in mandis and farmers either have contractual buyers or multiple choices to sell. This one-month rush into mandis creates glut and arm twisting of farmers”.
Congratulating Sodhi one of them said, “Congratulations to Amul for so many innovations in the last 6 months; power to our cattle, their rearers, the cooperatives and your vision”.
Interestingly, among some of the top-notch economists like Ainkleshwaer Aiyer, Panagaiya, Mohandas Pai have openly supported Farm Bills 2020 calling them game-changers for the rural economy.