Extensive value addition can save Indian farmers

I could see the faces of farmers in Vidarbha, in The Hindu, July 2002, who are looking to the face of Dr.Singh, PM of India with all hopes in their eyes. The report tells us that more than a hundred farmers committed suicide in the region, due to debt. In Kerala too, I have seen a number of farmers committing suicide due ti debt trap. Dr.Singh of course, didnt disappoint them, but he did the justice by declaring a Rs.3750 crore relief package. But did the PM, who is also one of the greatest economists in the country find the cause of this scenario?

Are we paying the price of LPG(Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation? Is it inevitable for Indian economy to follow the fate of Argentina? My answer is a simple "No". But then, why this scenario happened and why it is prevailing?

It is just a matter of managing the situation. The post LPG scenario offers a great lot of opportunities, especially for a country like India, which is full of resources. But for grabbing the opportunities, we need to compete in the global environment. The competition is so intense, that only the smartest will survive. Of course, India has everything to be among the smartest.

Our agricultural products need to undergo a drastic advancement through the value chain. Value-added products will find markets, with much higher prices , there by adding big revenue to the national income. It is very evident that a simple value addition will yield a great improvement in the market value of the products. As the value added products can be branded with much ease, we can reserve the right to control the prices, rather than following the current scenario, where the international prices control our revenues.

Without much confusion, I can make the conclusion with the declaration that the population of Indian nation, whose main occupation is cultivation, can take the confrontation to the world with all confidence.