Farmers receive only one-third of what consumer pays for vegetables, fruits: RBI study
Mumbai: A study published by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revealed that Indian farmers earn only about one-third of the prices consumers pay for tomatoes, onions, and potatoes (collectively known as TOP), with the majority of the share going to wholesalers and retailers.
The study found that farmers receive approximately 33% of the consumer price for tomatoes, 36% for onions, and 37% for potatoes. In comparison, farmers in the dairy sector benefit more significantly, getting around 70% of the final price.
Further analysis of the fruit market indicated that farmers receive 31% of the final price for bananas, 35% for grapes, and 43% for mangoes in the domestic market.
Meanwhile, pulses show a better scenario for farmers, with around 75% of the consumer price for gram (chana) returning to them, and 70% for moong and 65% for tur.
The study also highlighted that unlike cereals and dairy products, where procurement and marketing are relatively developed, TOP vegetables, which are amongst the largest produced and consumed vegetables in the country, lack an efficient value chain system. Factors contributing to this inefficiency include short seasonal crop cycles, perishability, regional concentration, and inadequate storage facilities.
The authors of the study pointed out that many farmers resort to discarding their crops or selling them at distress prices during the flush season. Conversely, in lean seasons, consumers face significantly higher prices.
This boom-and-bust cycle of TOP arises from an inefficient marketing system and a lack of well-integrated value chains, leading to an increasing gap between what farmers earn and what consumers pay, the study added.
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RS proceedings adjourned for day amid opposition protest over Adani bribery row, other issues
New Delhi(PTI): Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Wednesday as opposition members insisted on a discussion on various issues, including bribery charges related to the Adani Group.
The proceedings were briefly adjourned in the morning session due to opposition protest, and when the House re-assembled at 11.30 AM, there were identical scenes.
This prompted Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to adjourn the proceedings for the day, saying the "House is not in order".
The trobule started after Dhankhar rejected 18 notices under a rule of the House to suspend scheduled business and take up issues mentioned in the notices.
The notices related to demand for 'constitution of a JPC to investigate the alleged misconduct, including corruption, bribery, financial irregularities of the Adani Group in connivance with other authorities', violence in Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh and rising incidents of crime in the national capital.
"Upper House needs to reflect and follow well-established traditions that ruling of the Chair requires reference and not cause differences. I have, in detail, given reasons why, in these situations, notices are not being accepted," Dhankhar said while rejecting the notices under Rule 267 of the House.
On Monday also, the Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day during the morning session itself as opposition insisted on raising the issues related to Adani Group.
There was no sitting of the House on Tuesday.
The Adani Group said on Wednesday that Gautam Adani, and his nephew Sagar have not been charged with any violation of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the indictment that authorities filed in the New York court in an alleged bribery case.
