SSC Descriptive Writing Current Affairs SSC-CGL (TIER-III) - Pulse Price volatility- way ahead

PULSE PRICE VOLATILITY- WAY AHEAD

Key Points:

Why

• Low yield
• Food policy
• Low irrigated areas
• Import dependency
• Hoarding and black marketing
• Changing dietary needs

Measures by government 

• Export ban
• Buffer stock
• Stocking limits
• MSP increased
• Price stabilization

Way ahead

• Remove export ban
• Remove stoking limit
• Procurement by government
• Technology improvement

THE ESSAY BEGINS…

Pulse price rise is a phenomenon that has been recurring in the past many years. The fact that this has been getting worse in the recent years indicate that there is something really wrong with the way we are dealing it.

Pulse price rise can be said to be one of the by-products of green revolution, of the cereal- centric food policy adopted by India. Being grown in low-irrigated fields, it is subjected to monsoon risks and less-preferred by farmers. The high demand due to changing dietary needs and inadequate supply has made us dependent on imports, and thus de- pendent on price fluctuations. Hoarding and black marketing also contribute to it.

The decision to ban export and limit stocking is only going to hurt in the long run since it goes against farmer interests. Usage of price stabilization fund and increase in MSP were great steps, but still it's favoring cereals. Like cereals, pulses should also be procured by the government and kept in buffer stocks, which should be supplemented by technology.

As long as the country doesn't attain self-sufficiency, it's going to face price fluctuations, and thus all necessary steps should be taken to ensure self-sufficiency.