Effective Implementation of Agricultural Price and Marketing Policy for Doubling Farmers Incomes: Doable Priority Actions

Abstract

This paper highlights some doable action points in the realm of implementation of agricultural prices and marketing policies that need emphasis by policy makers and development agencies in the country. It discusses issues related to effective implementation of minimum support price (MSP) and also under-use of market intervention scheme. The relevance and importance of agricultural price forecast system is discussed along with the needed actions. A brief review of two important initiatives within the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) is presented along with the capacity that has been built in the country. The paper also gives some suggestions on speeding up of third phase of agricultural marketing reforms and outlines the progress on move towards National Agricultural Market (e-NAM). It brings out the issues related to farmers’ demand for ‘cost-plus formula’ for deciding the level of MSPs by the government and finally suggests some doable actions on the implementation of agricultural prices and marketing policies to enhance farmers’ income.