Middlemen dealings are affecting farmers as well as consumers
Thanks to middlemen, prices of Arhar (toor) dal have crossed Rs 100 mark in New Delhi market. A quick glance at the prices reveals that price of Arhar dal
per kg should be around Rs 57. Prices in areas where the crop is produced is around Rs 50. This means that the prices are nearly getting doubled as the produce leaves the mills and reaches the retail market. This points to a possible role of middlemen who many a times exploit the farmers to artificially raise prices for their own profit. This not only affects farmers but shoots up the prices.
Central Government put in efforts to increase Arhar Dal production, as a result of which the countruy saw a bumper production of 36 lakh tonnes of Arhar dal being produced in the country. There has been a high demand for it in domestic market as Arhar dal (toor dal) is a staple diet in large parts of the country.
However, the bumper production has driven the prices downwards and farmers are having to beat the brunt. Farmers are not getting the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the produce. In New Delhi, the MSP is Rs 5800 per quintal but on Wednesday, the farmers were getting Rs 5700 per quintal.
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