As the harvest season is fast approaching, the farms of India and the people are getting more and more anxious about what is going to happen to the wheat crops. This apprehension comes from the fact that India is the 2nd largest wheat producing country of the world and the main question facing the nation is whether we will be able to uphold the same position this year too?
The wheat production in India has been steady since
FY2016-17 with lesser pest attacks and distorted weather, but is it going to be
the case this time?
Brief overview of the Harvest in India
India is likely to set a record for wheat
manufacturing as predictions state that food grain production is going to hike
up to 115 million tons as compared to 107 million tons last year.
Despite the pan-India locust attack, the crops have
given a bumper estimate produce because of sufficient rains which didn’t ruin
the fields and the good weather conditions in India.
Plight of the Farmers
However, at the end what matters is plight of the
farmers who will be harvesting the crops. Unfortunately, the farmers who were
supposed to be working on their fields, smiling over the lushing greenery are
nowhere to be seen. Instead, they are seen fighting for their survival and
protesting over the 3 contentious farm bills.
At this point, it doesn’t matter what the verdict is
going to be, whether it will be in favor of the farmers or against it, we know
one thing for sure, that if the situation gets worse, the direct effect will be
on the crops’ harvest which ultimately will lead to a degraded quality, lower
margins for the farmers and hence, an increase in the wheat prices.
Trends in the wheat market
Over the last few weeks, it has been seen that the
wheat manufacturers are trying to give discounts and offers to the customers in
response to the good harvest of the crops.
Even the brand, Ashirwaad by ITC, is giving free 100g
turmeric powder with their wheat sacks, but it creates a certain space for
doubt as to how they would come up with the same offers and incentives when it’s
time for harvesting but there aren’t be any farmers around to harvest.
This would bring to the forefront the real profit-oriented
motive of manufacturers and wholesalers, who have been storing wheat and other
items in bulk just to sell them in times of scarcity so that they can hike the
prices.
To avoid this hike in prices, the concept of minimum
support price is necessary. It actually ensures that the farmers get the right
value of their harvest
The farmers protest is a boiling topic and nobody can
figure out what is going to happen in the near future.
However, if India is able to set the record for
highest wheat manufacturing of all time, it definitely will be a moment of
pride but will it be the same emotionally and financially for farmers? Only
time will tell.
Written by - Anamika Malik
Edited by - Tushna Choksey
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