Scrap cotton procurement scheme, says Sharad Joshi

Joshi used to draw big crowds all over the State whenever he spoke from the Shetkari Sanghatana platform but could never mobilise the same when he entered the electoral politics under the SBP banner.

Joshi was in the city today to attend the inauguration of a branch of a departmental store. He shared the dais with the local Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. His presence at the function only confirmed that the Sanghatana leader is now close to the BJP. He is also conducting a crash course in agricultural economics for a BJP-sponsored group at his farm in Pune district. According to him, the NCP is not interested in such activities.

Joshi gave indications that he would concentrate on the growth of Sanghatana. Talking to journalists after the function, he said the Sanghatana has scope to develop into a premier organisation upholding the interests of farmers. The Sanghatana could devote itself for research on modern farming technique as well as floating new ideas for making farming more remunerative, he felt.

The Sanghatana leader has always been a strong supporter of the demand to end subsidies on farm inputs. He welcomed the decision taken by the NDA government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee to cut down subsidies on fertilisers. Reiterating his stand that the politics of subsidies brings no benefits to farmers, he said the policy of allowing free imports and exports would be of benefit to Indian farmers. With the government relaxing restrictions and pursuing liberal policies, farmers are are now free to import fertilisers at cheaper rates, he said and pointed out that fertilisers which were available at the rate of Rs 4000 are now available at Rs 1500 per tonne. About the export of foodgrains and other farm produce, he said Indian farmers need to be made aware of the modern technology.

In reply to questions about Congress president Sonia Gandhi criticising the NDA decision, the Sanghatana leader spared no words to hit out at the Congress party and its leaders for pursuing anti-farmer policies since independence. He alleged that it was during Nehru and Indira Gandhi’s period that the farm sector suffered the most. Records show that not much was done by the successive Congress governments to create the necessary infrastructure facilities for the farm sector, he charged. No Congress leader has any right to speak on this matter, he said.

About making Indian agriculture more competitive, Joshi felt that India needs a comprehensive agriculture development plan on the lines of the plan which was successfully implemented in Germany before the Second World War.

Joshi also came out strongly in support of abolition of the monopoly cotton procurement scheme. If the scheme has failed to bring any relief to the cotton growers, then there is no point in continuing it, he argued. Joshi was of the view that instead of keeping huge amounts blocked in running the scheme year after year, it is better to prepare Indian farmers for competition with the global leaders like China, Israel and the US.