Agricultural markets in Odisha
Gokul Patnaik
The raging controversy regarding the new farm laws and the country-wide protest of farmers have once again brought to focus the crucial role played by agricultural markets in economic development. States like Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra have well developed marketing systems which have contributed to their prosperity. Other states have lagged and continued with the traditional systems. Reforms have taken a back seat.
Agriculture market reform in India has historically been a vexatious issue. The Royal Commission on Agriculture in 1928 noted the need to regulate agricultural markets. The Madras Commercial Crops Act 1933 (which was then applicable to areas of present day Odisha) laid down certain restrictions. The Constitution of India (1950) prescribed that “Agriculture”, “markets and fairs” and “trade and commerce within the state” are all State subjects (Entry 14, 26, 28, List II, Seventh Schedule). Agricultural markets