Tackling farm distress should be BJP's top priority: Experts

A big takeaway from the Gujarat polls was the BJP's inability to reclaim its rural seats in some parts of the state

Jolted by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) less-than-impressive performance in some parts of rural Gujarat in the recent Assembly elections, the Centre might tweak import and export duties to protect farmers’ interests as well as raise procurement of cash crops, such as oilseeds and pulses. 

The government might also create demand for farm commodities by opening up more distribution channels, such as providing millets under the Food Security Act, and invest more in developing marketing infrastructure, senior government officials said. A farm debt waiver, however, was not being considered, as it was not the stated policy of the government, the officials