Letters: Alleviate farmers' woes

Apropos the editorial "Not yet one market" (July 8), I agree with what the writer expressed. One of the reasons for farmers' pathetic condition is the draconian APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee). Do we still need it? It can be done away with by following some simple rules. Another reason is the lack of storage facilities. Despite being a developing economy, India still does not have proper and modern storage facilities. Many a time, our farmers are forced to sell their bumper stock to middlemen at cheaper rates. If our farmers are encouraged to build good storage system on cooperative society lines -that is, a group of farmers should be financed by banks to build modern storage system - it will prevent unauthorised middlemen from hoarding food.

Also, in the absence of good roads, farmers are unable to take their produce to distant markets which might fetch them good prices. Building good roads to facilitate movement of food grains over long distances might alleviate some of the farmer troubles. The movement of food grains should also be made easier by changing the inter-state transport and removing unnecessary legislation/bottlenecks. Petty politics should not come in the way.

Veena Shenoy Thane

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