For India, Ghost of Planned Economy are causing starvation

[Sakal Gharelu Ustad]

Where did you say 3 year old rice is good? Please quote yourself. Perhaps I missed it.

Post #23

New rice is sold off into the market while old rice is stored for consumption because it is good to eat. Most paddy growers maintain stocks of rice over the years for personal consumption. When at home, I eat rice 2-3 years old and it sells for a big premium. But still no one sells old rice because there is not enough storage options except enough for personal consumption.

Because I eat 2-3 years old rice back at home and it sells for premium means it is of high quality than newly harvested one.

Does that clarify??

 

[pmaitra]

What I was trying to do is make a point that being rich does not make the rich guilty of the poor's misery

I agree.

All I am saying is that if a person can afford an iPhone, a Honda City, can party with friends and drink Stolichnaya, then he should be fine with rice in grain prices.

I am not saying he is guilty of the poor's misery. He has the dough, so let him spend.

 

[Sakal Gharelu Ustad]

No it does not clarify.

District please!

West UP.....

 

[pmaitra]

Post #23



Because I eat 2-3 years old rice back at home and it sells for premium means it is of high quality than newly harvested one.

Does that clarify??

Ok, I missed that 3 year old part. Thanks for showing.

Now, old rice sells for a premium, because, it produces more volume, than freshly harvested rice.

It's not about good to eat. There are some religious festivals, where you cannot use boiled rice, but have to mandatorily use Sun dried rice. Those are very good to eat as well. However, they are produced at small quantities, for religious events, because, the market demands the rice that increases in volume, that is old rice.

West UP.....

Benaras is a good market for Sun dried rice.

 

[Ray]

I concede that all this cannot be based on theoretical stuff.

Sadly, India still is dependent on the monsoons and the canals.

 

[pmaitra]

What I was trying to do is make a point that being rich does not make the rich guilty of the poor's misery

And I side with Sakal in this debate. He is right, storage of the crops is not possible by small farmers because of cost concerns. He said that why in his very first post. This is so because the farmers have very small land holdings and hence the cost of the storage will be detrimental in their profits. This is not USA where the advanced stuff can be introduced while keeping the profits.

But if you two can stop abusing each other, I can like the posts better, from a fellow abuser

SGU likes my ass, apparently.

Anyway, the point is not about small farmers, the point is about farmers.

Farmers = Small farmers + Big farmers.

I said that many farmers can afford to store their own grain. I never said all farmers store their own grains.

Do you agree with that, or disagree with that?

 

[Sakal Gharelu Ustad]

Ok, I missed that 3 year old part. Thanks for showing.

Now, old rice sells for a premium, because, it produces more volume, than freshly harvested rice.

It's not about good to eat. There are some religious festivals, where you cannot use boiled rice, but have to mandatorily use Sun dried rice. Those are very good to eat as well. However, they are produced at small quantities, for religious events, because, the market demands the rice that increases in volume, that is old rice.

Atleast now you see that I had already mentioned it. When I say premium it also applies to /kg rate and you would not deny the fact.

Had to unnecessarily argue in the last 10 posts!! I do not argue unnecessarily to prove my point as it defeats the whole purpose of forum. I am now off to sleep!!

 

[Galaxy]

Did anyone considered the fact that many farmers leveraged themselves by borrowing money from Banks/local Saheb or Sarkar to support to grow rice and wheat ? Most of the Indian farmers are quite poor.

Two years back, I was in Nalanda to attend a marriage. I found, most of the farmers are poor and some of the Nitish workers, Kurmis owns many storage and they buy almost everything from all farmers in 50 Km radius and sell at good profit after a year or so.

Since, Farmers need quick money in order to pay the loan with expensive interest and to earn some money to feed their family. It's quite obvious that they won't store for an year and beyond.

Storage is expensive but quality of staples improves over period of time. Therefore, Middle-man (Read food mafia) purchases rice/wheat and other things from small farmers and sell after 1-2 years with some profit margin after adding their storage and miscellaneous expenses! They also sell when demand is huge to get better profit thanks to political connection.

 

[Mad Indian]

I said that many farmers can afford to store their own grain. I never said all farmers store their own grains.

Do you agree with that, or disagree with that?

Err, no. Most farmers cant afford to have a their own grains store. That is the point. So they cant have a profitable cultivation by storage.

The only possible solution is if the no. of Farmers are reduced in the country so that the amount of land per head of the farmer is less.

 

[Sakal Gharelu Ustad]

SGU likes my ass, apparently.

Anyway, the point is not about small farmers, the point is about farmers.

Farmers = Small farmers + Big farmers.

I said that many farmers can afford to store their own grain. I never said all farmers store their own grains.

Do you agree with that, or disagree with that?

I normally like asses--both big and small..but I prefer the fairer sex.

We agree on almost everything. But the point still remains, marginal farmers do not benefit from price rise.

PS. Pmaitra.Do not take offense for the ass thing.

 

[Ray]

West UP.....

Have a look here

http://agricoop.nic.in/Farm Mech. PDF/05024-02.pdf

And anyway, people from Western UP have hardly any reason to complain!

Richest of them all!

 

[pmaitra]

Atleast now you see that I had already mentioned it. When I say premium it also applies to /kg rate and you would not deny the fact.

Had to unnecessarily argue in the last 10 posts!! I do not argue unnecessarily to prove my point as it defeats the whole purpose of forum. I am now off to sleep!!

Yes indeed you did.

I was expecting an answer why old rice makes more profits, and I still disagree that old rice is kept for personal consumption and new rice is sold off to the markets. Usually it is not. New rice does not sell well (you agreed to that). Even if it is sold to the middlemen, they will store it and sell it next year.

My point was that many (not all) farmer store the grain themselves, which they will sell to the markets or middlemen the following year. This was my point right from the beginning.

 

[Ray]

Like I said when Indians act as American using words as 'ass' meaning 'arse', the whole context of debate is lost!

Though I agree that those who use such words are 'happening people' who want to shout that 'they have arrived'!!

 

[Ray]

I normally like asses--both big and small..but I prefer the fairer sex.

There are certain communities of India who indeed prefer that!

I have only seen/ heard, thank heavens saved the experience!

Let us get back to the subject - the original issue that was aimed at! Not rice, millet and so on!

Or should we close the thread?

 

[pmaitra]

I normally like asses--both big and small..but I prefer the fairer sex.

We agree on almost everything. But the point still remains, marginal farmers do not benefit from price rise.

PS. Pmaitra.Do not take offense for the ass thing.

Not at all. It is quite a commonplace term in the US. I only reciprocated, as I always do.

Sure, marginal farmers are at a disadvantage and cannot afford storage, and I never said anything contrary to that, did I?

 

[Sakal Gharelu Ustad]

Have a look here

http://agricoop.nic.in/Farm Mech. PDF/05024-02.pdf

And anyway, people from Western UP have hardly any reason to complain!

Richest of them all!

No one is complaining. Thank you for the link!!

In this thread I just said most farmers(both big and small) sell their grains from the field and retain only the portion needed for personal consumption. Even the rich here are unable to afford costly storage facilities. Go to east UP or Bihar and the situation becomes gruesome.

 

[Sakal Gharelu Ustad]

Not at all. It is quite a commonplace term in the US. I only reciprocated, as I always do.

Sure, marginal farmers are at a disadvantage and cannot afford storage, and I never said anything contrary to that, did I?

You did not say that. But most farmers have small land holdings in India and grains are usually stored only for personal consumption.

The wheat MSP is around Rs 1250 this year and I have seen many people now selling it to the open market for Rs 1100, because storage costs are just too much.

 

[Ray]

Even the rich here are unable to afford costly storage facilities.

Then you have not seen the real rich.

You have merely seen those who think they are rich having risen from poverty - the noveau riche.

I have some Jat, Rajput and Muslim friends who are from Western UP and if they are not rich, then God knows who are.

 

[Galaxy]

No one is complaining. Thank you for the link!!

In this thread I just said most farmers(both big and small) sell their grains from the field and retain only the portion needed for personal consumption. Even the rich here are unable to afford costly storage facilities. Go to east UP or Bihar and the situation becomes gruesome.

Benagli farmers might be very rich. They might have lots of storage and may not need any loan. Don't know really.

But most of the farmers in North-Central India are quite poor except Jatland!

 

[pmaitra]

No one is complaining. Thank you for the link!!

In this thread I just said most farmers(both big and small) sell their grains from the field and retain only the portion needed for personal consumption. Even the rich here are unable to afford costly storage facilities. Go to east UP or Bihar and the situation becomes gruesome.

Rice storage isn't that expensive either.

Look at this picture, from Orissa. It might come across as hay, but it is not just hay. Notice it is raised form the ground.

And these are probably not from India, but provides better storage for rice. Again, not very expensive.

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4023/4398511482_5ab8d82be4_z.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28361002@N07/3455442892/

A farmer can build these himself with some helping hand, and a small investment.