Structural reforms needed to boost farm growth: Ex-secretary

Structural reforms are needed to boost agriculture growth and enhance the income of farmers, former Union agriculture secretary Mohan Kanda said today.
"If the Prime Minister's announcement (of doubling farmers' income by 2022) is to be converted into reality and Telangana's dream of golden Telangana to be realised, any number of steps need to be taken.
"Fundamentally what is required is structural reforms in agriculture which we have not done," he said.
Kanda, who had served as Chief Secretary in undivided Andhra Pradesh, was speaking at a workshop on 'doubling farmers' income'.
"Let us have a mechanism, standing mechanism at the national, state and district levels which will look at agriculture.

"At last count, because these things keep changing everyday... at least 18 Central ministries have to sit together if one decision has to be taken," he said.

Citing an example, he said, Minimum Support Price for cotton was announced recently, but the decision benefited middlemen as cotton sale had already taken place in Telangana.
"Why cannot we do this well in time?" he asked.
Such a decision could not be taken in time due to lack of coordination and authority, he claimed.
"When the country can afford to have cabinet committees on internal security,... why cannot we have a cabinet agriculture and rural development committee," he said.

Observing that reduction of cost of production would not help much in substantial increase in incomes of farmers, S Narsing Rao, Principal Secretary to Telangana Chief Minister, said export of farm produce would be a major step to promote the cause.