Revisiting the Role of Mandis in the Context of Farm Law’s Repeal

EPW: Issue of February 19, 2022

In this article, the authors highlight a feasible strategy to help farmers earn remunerative returns, while answering two questions: (1) are mandis and MSP answers to the challenge of non-remunerative prices? and (2) how can the existing mandi infrastructure be made favourable to smallholder farmers?

They rely on the two latest rounds of situation assessment survey (SAS) data released by National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) and a set of other secondary sources to answer the first question. Their insights from field work conducted in northern Karnataka help answer the second question. The central argument is that mandis can be strengthened to generate favourable outcomes for farmers if farmer-oriented entities play dominant roles in them.