Loan waiver no panacea

Farmers' income stability is possible only if govt ensures proper support prices for their produce

With reference to the editorial, “Make it count” (August 4), farmers’ distress persists. The severity of the distress depends on the rainfall. As 60 per cent of the population is engaged in agriculture and allied activities, any kind of change in their earnings impacts consumption, demand and the propensity to save.

There is a cascading effect on the overall growth of the economy. Stability in farmers’ earnings is possible only if the government ensures that they receive reasonable support prices for their produce, irrespective of a good or bad monsoon.

Another factor contributing to the distress of farmers is poor infrastructure. Lack