A recent working paper by NITI Aayog has raised serious concerns across the Indian agricultural sector.
It suggests:
-
Reducing import duties on American agri-products
-
Allowing genetically modified (GM) soybean and corn into India
-
Positioning India as a major import market for surplus foreign produce
Is India now just a consumer colony for global agri-corporations?
Are our policymakers representing Indian farmers or serving foreign lobbies?
1. GM Grains in a Hungry Nation?
India ranks 127th in the Global Hunger Index. Millions lack basic nutrition.
Yet, the recommendation is to import GM food posing long-term risks to health, soil, biodiversity and livelihoods.
2. Neglecting India's Oilseed Farmers
Why import cheap GM soybean oil when we grow mustard, groundnut, sesame, and flax in abundance? Why we are ignoring our oilseed grower farmers.Why we can't assure them minimum support price MSP for their produce.
Is “Atmanirbhar Bharat” only a slogan while policy shifts toward import-dependence?
3. NITI Aayog or Trade Lobby Desk?
This paper comes as US-India trade negotiations intensify.
Are we witnessing a shift from policy planning to policy brokering?
4. CORN Imports Vs. Sugarcane Farmers
(A) "India’s maize farmers have cried themselves dry asking for fair Minimum support prices (MSP). Yet instead of hearing them, our policies seem more eager to import America’s surplus and sell it here. Whose interest are we really serving?"
(B) Proposal to import GM corn for ethanol is bizarre —
when millions of sugarcane farmers in India await fair payments from mills.
5. Importing Luxury While Ignoring Reality:
Cutting duties on imported apples, almonds, walnuts and pistachios —
While middle-class and poor households battle inflation?
6. Who Writes Our Farm Policy — Delhi Or Washington?
Shouldn't policies be drafted for Indian farmers —
not as dictated by American trade interests?
7. Real Solutions Lie Within
India has strength in:
-
Organic and traditional farming
-
Indigenous seeds and agro-ecological wisdom
-
Farmer-led models that are sustainable and market-friendly
What we need is *price assurance / MSP, not just production increase.
“Krishi, Vanijya, and Dharma are the foundations of any nation.”
THIS IS NOT POLICY — IT seems like BROKERAGE:
Allowing foreign corporations to shape Indian agri-policy is a betrayal of our farmers and food sovereignty.
This isn’t reform — it's a corporate takeover in disguise.
The Farmer Now Asks:
-
Are these policies made for India or for Wall Street?
-
Will we farm our land or rent it out to foreign profit?
-
Will our plate belong to Bharat or America?
“Yatra Annam, Tatra Lakshmi” — Where there is food, there is wealth.
But if we neglect the farmer and import his dignity, we lose both food and freedom.
