Three sensible pieces of legislation that the agriculture sector needs are being projected as anti-farmer, not for what the laws contain in letter, but for what sections of farmers perceive as the intent of the government in bringing these laws.

2. The law to allow farmers to sell their produce wherever they wish in India logically opens up the market for them. They are not barred from selling to Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) and can continue to do so.

3. Nor does law suggest that APMCs will be closed or that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) will be done away with. The assumption is that when farmers can sell to private traders without paying commission or other charges at the APMCs (which could save them up to 10 % )

4. second law on contract farming is meant to allow farmers to enter into long term contracts with companies to sell produce.
primary opposition to law comes from clause that prohibits farmers from approaching the courts.

govt indicated that it is willing to give in on this

5. The third law deals with modifications to the Essential Commodities Act. The law moves some items off the essential commodities list and restricts government intervention to certain exigencies or emergency situations.

6 The government argues that this is essential to build economies of scale for those in the food storage, processing and related industries as they often find themselves at the mercy of government in terms of how much they can stock.

7. The farm laws are meaningful liberalisation-oriented reforms aimed at reducing government control over the agriculture sector. Buckling to pressure on this issue, as was seen in the case of the land acquisition law, will set the clock back on reform by several years.

8. The government needs to dig in for the long haul and stay the course. Most of the needed amendments to the laws have been agreed to during the talks with the farmers.

9 For too long the Indian farmer and reforms to better their lives has been the elephant in the room. Their pitiable state despite decades of government support not having lifted them out of poverty significantly is being romanticised again.