Papers by Umakant Srivastava
Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, 1977
The recent upswing in the price of crude oil has prompted many nations to look into other sources... more The recent upswing in the price of crude oil has prompted many nations to look into other sources of energy. The large number of cattle in this country makes it possible to consider biogas plants as an alternate energy source. The Fuel Policy Committee has recommended the popularization of biogas plants in rural areas. In this paper, the authors have analysed policy options and problems faced by various agencies in the promotion, sales, and servicing of biogas plants. Primary data were collected by interviewing a selected sample of plant owners in Gujarat State. Discussions were also held with officials of the Gujarat Rajya Khadi Gramodyog Board and the Khadi Village Industries Commission, two of the agencies involved in the promotional work. After a detailed analysis of the data, the authors have recommended certain measures to improve sales and servicing facilities and to optimize returns.
Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, 1977
Minor irrigation schemes have been assigned an important role in irrigation development in the Fi... more Minor irrigation schemes have been assigned an important role in irrigation development in the Fifth Five-Year Plan. Financial institutions such as the Agricultural Refinance and Development Corporation and banks have stepped up loan disbursements to finance the construction of dug wells, dug-cum-bore wells, and tubewells. One of the constraints in lending for minor irrigation schemes has been the uncertainty in the recovery of loans owing to failed wells. The authors of this paper provide a decision theoretic framework to tackle this uncertainty. The framework consists of (1) alternatives, (2) possible events which can take place in case of each alternative, (3) possibilities associated with each event, and (4) a defined criterion of choice. The interactions between various elements are illustrated with two examples based on data from Mehsana district in Gujarat.
Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, 1990
The pesticides industry has grown by 7.6 per cent during the last 20 years. It has also undergone... more The pesticides industry has grown by 7.6 per cent during the last 20 years. It has also undergone a structural change from low value products to high value products. The major constituents of this industry are technical grade material manufacturers, formulators, and dealers. In this article, U K Srivastava and N T Patel analyse the growth of the pesticides industry, the changes in the product mix, the problems of the constituents, and the marketing scenario. According to them, there is vast scope for accelerating pesticides consumption by diversifying to hitherto untapped regions and crops. This, however, calls for a major market development effort on the part of the industry.
Marine fisheries will have to play a crucial role in augmenting supplies both In the domestic as ... more Marine fisheries will have to play a crucial role in augmenting supplies both In the domestic as wall as export markets. Thrust of the development will be on deepsea and brackishwater resources. Ths exploitation of these resources, particularly deepsea, will require a rapid transition from charter of vessels to joint ventures aid owned fleat with modern and sophisticated technology. Creation of sizeable owned fleet wou'd require massive credit and fiscal aupport. I his thrust for exploitation of deepsea resources can be sustained with concerted attempts to formulate and implement strategies for product development and marketing In both domestic as well as export markets. This will also require the attention to develop the necessary infrastructure to hendle such vessels, onshore processing facilities, batter management of fishing harbours, cold chiin grid in the domestic markets, development of trensit and terminal markets at wholesale and retail levels. Boatbuilding yards will h...
Marine fisheries will have to play a crucial role in augmenting supplies both. In the domestic as... more Marine fisheries will have to play a crucial role in augmenting supplies both. In the domestic as wall as export markets. Thrust of the development will be on deep-sea and brackishwater resources. Ths exploitation of these resources, particularly deepsea, will require a rapid transition from charter of vessels to joint ventures aid owned fleat with modern and sophisticated technology. Creation of sizeable owned fleet wou'd require massive credit and fiscal aupport. I his thrust for exploitation of deepsea resources can be sustained with concerted attempts to formulate and implement strategies for product development and marketing In both domestic as well as export markets. This will also require the attention to develop the necessary infrastructure to hendle such vessels, onshore processing facilities, batter management of fishing harbours, cold chiin grid in the domestic markets, development of trensit and terminal markets at wholesale and retail levels. Boatbuilding yards will...
BRACKISH water fish culture is an important area included in India's fisheries development progra... more BRACKISH water fish culture is an important area included in India's fisheries development programmes. This aquaculture practice has been in vogue for a long time in West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka and Goa. However, it was only from the fag end of the IV Five Year Plan that direct interest was generated in the development of this sector. Since then, several reports and documents describing its past and present status, and potential as an important source for augmenting fish production and enhancing the economic and employment opportunities in the coastal rural regions are available. To facilitate discussion on the resources, skills and knowledge available to us, cons' straints encountered, and risks involved in this field in achieving
Major sectors of the Indian economy including manufacturing, trade and services got opened up wit... more Major sectors of the Indian economy including manufacturing, trade and services got opened up with the liberalization process started in the late 1980, and early 1990s. However, agriculture remained shackled till recently. The policy focus in agriculture has remained on increasing production to provide food security to the masses. Nevertheless, farmers of India, although being primarily small and marginal (85 percent of land holding being less than 2 ha) did embrace modern technology. Led by increased use of high yielding variety seeds, chemical fertilizers and modern machinery, India emerged as second largest producer of food grains as well as of fruits and vegetables and the largest producer of milk in the world. Whereas income in other sectors increased manifold in the post liberalization, for doubling income of farmers it took 22 years with an annual growth rate standing at 3.31 percent per annum during 1993-94 to 2015-16. The slow pace of growth in farmers' income stands not only due to lower productivity in agriculture but also its low value realization. In other words, the farmers' income remains low on account of one-productivity level in India still remains well below the comparable nations owing to lack of access to latest world production technology; second and more importantly, it is the marketing system which have largely led down the farmers.
Indian Journal of Agriculture Marketing, 2022
The objective of this paper is to review the attempts to reform the agricultural marketing system... more The objective of this paper is to review the attempts to reform the agricultural marketing system since independence, including the three farm laws that have been recently repealed and recommendations of the Supreme Court appointed Committee. As agriculture is a state subject, Government of India formulated a Model Acts for adoption by the state governments. Government of India kept prompting the states to adopt them.The first Model Act was circulated in late 1950s and most states adopted it in 1960s and enacted their respective State APMC Acts. APMC Acts provide a market place, ensures proper weighment, provide auction system for price discovery and ensure payment to the farmers for their produce. But it is felt by some that these Acts kept the farmers shackled by requiring them to go through the APMC system and left room for their exploitation in terms of low prices. Therefore, Model Acts of 2003, 2017, and 2018 were formulated for adoption by the State Governments. The Model Acts referred above did not achieve all the desired objectives fully. Some of the reasons are as follows: i) Long delay in legislating these Model Acts by the States.Model Acts framed by Government of India are not binding on the State Government till they are adopted by them. ii) All the States did not make amendments in their own APMC Acts or only partially adopted them. iii) Some changes were made in the APMC Acts which were not in line or intent of Model Contract farming Acts circulated by the Centre. For example, Rajasthan Amendment Bill, 2020 assumes that sponsors can lease farm land. Similarly, In Punjab Act, there is provision of jail term for both partiesThis is not in the model contract 2018.
The agriculture trade is on concurrent list. Using this window, Government of India formulated 3 major reform laws. As there was opposition from a section of farmers, Hon’ble Supreme Court appointed a Committee to look into the 3 farm laws and give recommendations. The Committee submitted its recommendations. Meanwhile the 3 farm laws were repealed by GOI. But the some of the recommendations of the Committee are still useful to strengthen the agricuture marketing system and enable the creation of inclusive integrated value chain. This article reviews the operation of various model Acts including the operations of National Agriculture Market and Farmer producer companies. The article reviews the recommendations of the committee and their likely impact on the desired goal. The article also brings out the task ahead in creating direct link between farmers and processors/consumers, even after the repeal of 3 reform Acts.
This explains the considerations in project appraisal and financing
Supreme Court appointed a Committee to look into the 3 Farm laws. Meanwhile the 3 farm laws were ... more Supreme Court appointed a Committee to look into the 3 Farm laws. Meanwhile the 3 farm laws were withdrawn. But the Committee has very useful suggestion for betterment of the lot of small and marginal farmers. This article comprehensively reviews the recommendations and the ones which can still be implemented even though the farm laws were withdrawn.
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Papers by Umakant Srivastava
The agriculture trade is on concurrent list. Using this window, Government of India formulated 3 major reform laws. As there was opposition from a section of farmers, Hon’ble Supreme Court appointed a Committee to look into the 3 farm laws and give recommendations. The Committee submitted its recommendations. Meanwhile the 3 farm laws were repealed by GOI. But the some of the recommendations of the Committee are still useful to strengthen the agricuture marketing system and enable the creation of inclusive integrated value chain. This article reviews the operation of various model Acts including the operations of National Agriculture Market and Farmer producer companies. The article reviews the recommendations of the committee and their likely impact on the desired goal. The article also brings out the task ahead in creating direct link between farmers and processors/consumers, even after the repeal of 3 reform Acts.
The agriculture trade is on concurrent list. Using this window, Government of India formulated 3 major reform laws. As there was opposition from a section of farmers, Hon’ble Supreme Court appointed a Committee to look into the 3 farm laws and give recommendations. The Committee submitted its recommendations. Meanwhile the 3 farm laws were repealed by GOI. But the some of the recommendations of the Committee are still useful to strengthen the agricuture marketing system and enable the creation of inclusive integrated value chain. This article reviews the operation of various model Acts including the operations of National Agriculture Market and Farmer producer companies. The article reviews the recommendations of the committee and their likely impact on the desired goal. The article also brings out the task ahead in creating direct link between farmers and processors/consumers, even after the repeal of 3 reform Acts.
Under the existing APMC Acts, all agri- produce was to be procured through mandies to which farmers transported their produce. Initially meant to protect farmers, these mandies transformed themselves into local monopolies. Transparent price discovery through auctions was replaced by collusion and price fixing. Rent seeking behaviour was common, as commission agents, known as arathiyas and middlemen commanded substantial influence through both buyers of produce and providers of informal credit.
As agriculture is a State Subject, Government of India had made several attempts to unshackle the Draft Model Acts in 2003 and 2017, National Agriculture market (E-NAM), model Act of Contract farming 2018, and farmer producer Companies . But the State Governments took several years in passing these Model Acts in their respective states and that too half-heartedly. Thus, despite the well-intended efforts to unshackle the agriculture, ground situation did not change.
It is this recent unshackling of agriculture and somewhat unwarranted apprehensions which are the inspiration for this book. We have also used our experience of creating integrated value chains for paddy, pineapple, horticulture produce in Zambia (Feed Africa Programme-funded by the African Development Bank).
The book is divided in three parts. Part I deals with the challenge to create integrated value chains and enabling policy environment for accelerating agro processing units and value addition. This is an essential part of the doubling of farm incomes by 2022-23. Accordingly, this introductory chapter deals with the target of doubling farm incomes: policy interventions and role of value chain approach. Chapter II deals with present status of agri-value chains and reforms of APMC Acts. Chapter III deals with Farmer’s producer organizations and their potential for creating integrated value chains. Chapter IV deals with model contract farming Act as a facilitator for creating integrated value chains. Chapter V deals with MOFPI food park scheme which aims at giving a Philip to agro processing and facilitating integrated value chains. Chapter VI deals with the challenge to create integrated value chains which is key to quantum leap in agro/food processing which is the weak link in doubling farm incomes. Part II presents ten case studies on successfully creating integrated value chains (Ch, 7 to 16). Part III (Ch.17) presents the concluding observations (lessons learnt from case studies) on creating integrated value chains in agriculture and horticulture sectors.
This PPT is based on on our Book 'Strategic opportunity for creating integrated value chains for Doubling Farm Incomes ' available on amazon and flip cart
Committed to its resolve of increasing farmer’s incomes, Government of India has now leveraged its mandate to break new ground in agri and allied sectors through the Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020 and the Farmer’s (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020. In addition, Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 has also been passed and it relaxes the controls on procurement, storage, transportation of major agricultural commodities. All these legal provisions have opened up strategic opportunity to create integrated value chains linking the farmers with processors and consumers. The Acts have provided several safeguards such that the value chains are inclusive and equitable. The contract farming agreements will be registered and no land transfer or any construction of permanent nature on farm land will be permitted. The fair price and payment mode of same would also be supervised. Dispute resolution mechanisms would also be put in place to protect the interest of all the stakeholders, particularly small and marginal farmers.
Committed to its resolve of increasing farmer’s incomes, Government of India has now passed the Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020 and the Farmer’s (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020. In addition, Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 has also been passed and it relaxes the controls on procurement, storage, transportation of major agricultural commodities. All these legal provisions have opened up strategic opportunity to create integrated value chains linking the farmers with processors and consumers. The Acts have provided several safeguards such that the value chains are inclusive and equitable. The contract farming agreements will be registered and no land transfer or any construction of permanent nature on farm land will be permitted. The fair price and payment mode of same would also be supervised. Dispute resolution mechanisms would also be put in place to protect the interest of all the stakeholders, particularly small and marginal farmers.
This PPT is based on our book 'Strategic Opportunity for creating integrated value chain for doubling farm Incomes'