It’s both a pity and a misfortune that the failure of the government to act in critical situations is legion. The steep rise in the price of tomatoes – the main and natural tastemaker for Indian curries — in the recent weeks for instance is an example. After sitting back and watching the price skyrocketing for weeks, the central agencies stepped in late and brought down the price from a whopping Rs 150 per kilo to Rs 80 in select north Indian cities from this Sunday. Intervention in the procurement centres and wholesale markets (mandis) in the originating states like Maharashtra, AP and Karnataka started late but not before hurting the common man hard.
Notably, the entire process of distribution of agricultural products from farm to consumers remains chaotic all along, resulting in sudden, manipulated and hefty rise in prices. The present price rise in tomatoes was caused by a shortfall in production, a situation that the farmers and traders exploited to the hilt. The announcement by the Centre on Sunday about the intervention of agencies like National Cooperative Consumer Federation and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation is sure to act positively. While the government has agencies to keep a check on markets, the problem is there has been erratic coordination between multiple agencies to act fast. In the past and now too, an option is for the government to airlift scarce essential commodities from state to state or even from abroad. What can also be done in reverse is to airlift surplus production to markets abroad and ensure reasonable prices for farmers in times of a steep price fall. It must be admitted that governments are sensitive to price spirals in essential items to avoid situations like ‘onion tears’ out of a fear it could adversely affect them in the electoral arena. Had it been a bit closer to the 2024 polls, the government might have acted faster. The lethargy of the establishment at all levels and a lack of commitment to the causes of the ordinary masses by elected governments are all too evident.
True, the Modi government’s attempt to introduce agricultural reforms was scuttled by farmers in three north-Indian states who had support from some irresponsible politicians a couple of years ago. Faced with the approach of elections in UP, Punjab etc, Prime Minister Modi cut and ran rather than standing his ground and stressing on the need for positive changes in the sector that contributes some 20 per cent to the national GDP and is the biggest employer. A functional government must act more responsibly and in a timely manner.