The Ministry of Law and Justice (Legislative Department) notified presidential assent for the following three Acts on Sunday i.e., September 27th, 2020:
The Farmers' Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Act, 2020; (Presidential assent received on 24th September)This Act attempts to create an ecosystem wherein the farmers and traders are empowered to have the freedom of choice that is related to “sale and purchase of farmers” produce which facilitates remunerative prices through competitive alternative trading channels. This is done in an attempt to promote “efficient, transparent and barrier-free inter-State and intra-State trade and commerce of farmers' produce” even outside the defined-physical premises of markets or deemed markets. The act also aims to build a facilitative framework that will enable electronic trading for all matters connected therewith or incidental thereto
“This Act seeks to permit the sale of agricultural produces outside the markets mandis) regulated by the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) constituted by different state legislations.”
- The Farmers (Empowerment And Protection) Agreement On Price Assurance And Farm Services Act, 2020; (Presidential assent received on 24th September)
This ac attempts to build a national framework solely for farming agreements. These agreements shall protect and empower farmers for engagement with agri-business firms, processors, whole-sellers, exporter, or large retailers. All this will be for farm services and also promotes future farming produce sale “at a mutually agreed remunerative price framework”. This act attempts to do in a fair and a transparent manner for all matters connected therewith or incidental thereto
This Act intends to provide for contract-farming. Section 3 of the Act states that a farmer may enter into a written farming agreement in respect of any farming produce.
- The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020; and (Presidential assent received on 26th September)
This act is in furtherance for the amendment of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
he Act seeks to amend the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. When reading with Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, the Act aims to increase the availability of buyers for farmers' produce, by allowing them to trade freely without any license or stock limit.
The act advocates the imposition of any stock limit of all agricultural produced must be complacent with the price rise alone.
