Abstract
Indian agriculture is at a crossroads. We can plan out the phasing of reforms or force the pace and mess up the process. The Supreme Court had taken a practical stand on the Farm Trade Laws—implement them after consultation and with a well-defined framework spelt out. They had also appointed an expert amicus curiae. But this was not acceptable to the agitating farmer organisations in view of the stated views the experts had. It is possible that experts can re-examine their position as the Court said, but not highly probable. So going back to direct negotiations led to the stand the government has taken of holding the laws in abeyance for a year or a year-and-a-half. This will provide time for discussion of the details of agricultural reform which was needed since the laws were passed in a hurry on a single day. To begin with, it has to be understood that in a continental country one-size-fits-all will not work. The policy bind India is in is therefore a difficult one, even if the arguments are not ideologically anti-trade or those that lack policy interest. If a feasible alternate transitional policy set exists, a sensible approach would be to try to establish a roadmap of economic policies for, say a few major crops, and see if feasible alternatives exist.
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