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Over half the 5,000 farmers surveyed opposed the recently-passed farm laws, while one-third said they support the laws.
What is however is interesting in this survey carried out by Gaon Connection , an online independent media platform that writes on rural issues, is the graded approach by the farmers, spread across 53 districts in 16 States, in supporting or opposing each of these laws.
Read also: SC notice to Centre on pleas against farm laws
While 56 per cent said they knew about The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, which allows direct trade outside designated mandis, but only 35 per cent of them thought it was pro-farmer.
The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020, on the other hand, found acceptance from 63 per cent of the farmers, while 46 per cent farmers said they found The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, which facilitates contract farming, pro-farmer. The survey was conducted between October 3 and October 9, said a statement issued by Gaon Connection on Monday.
Low price concern
The biggest fear among the respondent farmers (57 per cent) was that they would be forced to sell their produce at a lower price in the open market, while 33 per cent farmers fear the government would end the system of minimum support price (MSP). Close to 60 per cent of the farmers wanted the government to make the MSP system a mandatory law in India.
Interestingly, in spite of slightly more than half (52 per cent) the respondent farmers opposing the three new agri laws (of which 36 per cent were not informed about these laws), almost 44 per cent respondent farmers said the Modi government was ‘pro-farmer’, whereas about 28 per cent said it was ‘anti-farmer’. Further, to another survey question, 35 per cent of farmers said the Modi government supported the farmers, whereas about 20 per cent said it supported the private corporates/companies.
MSP
Around 63 per cent farmers said they have sold their produce on MSP. In the south (Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh) highest proportion (78 per cent) farmers sell their produce on MSP; followed by the north-west (75 per cent) of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
Across the country, nearly 36 per cent of the participants said Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) are the most preferred medium for selling produce. This preference was as high as 78 per cent in the north-west region.
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