PM Modi’s reforms could help turn India into food-export powerhouse

莫迪总理的改革可帮助印度成为食品出口大国

NEW DELHI: Of all the controversial reforms Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sprung on the market, the recent laws to liberalize farm sales could turn out to be the most far-reaching.

新德里：在印度总理纳伦德拉·莫迪发起的所有有争议的改革中，最近出台的放开农产品销售的法案可能是影响最深远的。

In a fractious and unruly session last month, parliament passed three laws that some say could pave the way for India to upend the global food trade, while others fear it will wreck the livelihoods of millions of farmers. Within days, rural groups and opposition leaders launched public protests.

上个月，在一场争吵不休的会议上，印度议会通过了三项法案。一些人说，这些法案可能为印度颠覆全球粮食贸易铺平道路，而另一些人则担心，这会破坏数百万农民的生计。几天之内，农村团体和反对派领导人发起了公开抗议。

If they succeed, India could not only feed itself, but become a major food exporter.

如果他们成功了，印度不仅可以养活自己，而且可以成为一个主要的粮食出口国。

“We need private sector investment in technology and infrastructure for Indian agriculture to realize its full potential and compete better in the global marketplace,” said Siraj Chaudhry, managing director and chief executive officer of agriculture services company National Collateral Management Services Ltd. But the government must make its intent very clear to win over skeptics. “This is a major policy change that impacts a large and vulnerable section of the population.”

农业服务公司National Collateral Management services Ltd的总经理兼首席执行官Siraj Chaudhry说：“我们需要私营部门对印度农业的技术和基础设施进行投资，以充分发挥其潜力，更好地在全球市场上竞争。”但政府必须明确其意图，以赢得怀疑者的支持。“这是一项重大的政策变化，会影响到人口中大量脆弱的群体。”

India processes less than 10% of its food production and loses about Rs 90,000 crore ($12.3 billion) a year due to wastage from inadequate cold storage, said Amitabh Kant, chief executive officer at government think tank NITI Aayog.

政府智库NITI Aayog的首席执行官阿米塔布•康德说，印度加工的食品占其食品产量的比例不到10%，每年因冷藏不足而造成的浪费约为9000亿卢比(约合123亿美元)。

Modi has a long resume of contentious policy steps, including a ban on high-value cash notes, the biggest tax reform since Independence in 1947 and the world’s toughest coronavirus lockdown rules. The latest seems mild by comparison: a set of amendments to laws that govern the purchase, sale and storage of farm produce.

莫迪实施了很多有争议的政策，包括废除高面值纸币，自1947年独立以来最大的税制改革，以及世界上最严厉的新冠疫情封锁。相比之下，最近的这项法案似乎比较温和：对农产品购买、销售和储存的法律进行了一系列修订。

Yet eight opposition lawmakers were suspended for unruly behavior when the new bill was passed and groups representing farmers and political parties organized demonstrations, sit-ins and tractor rallies in grain-producing states such as Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.

然而，在新法案通过时，八名反对派议员因行为不守规矩而被停职，代表农民和政党的团体在旁遮普邦、哈里亚纳邦和中央邦等粮食生产邦组织了示威、静坐和拖拉机抗议集会。

Shiromani Akali Dal, a long-term supporter of the BJP, which rarely went against the decisions of Modi’s coalition, quit the government. It said farmers fear the measures will eventually kill the government’s price support regime for crops and leave them at the mercy of big corporations that would control the market.

阿卡利党是印度人民党的长期支持者，很少反对莫迪执政联盟的决定，该党退出了政府。该党表示，农民们担心，这些措施最终将扼杀政府对农作物的价格支持机制，导致价格任由将控制市场的大公司摆布。

Modi and his ministers say the concerns are baseless and the price guarantee program will continue. His administration even raised some minimum prices for winter crops to try to reassure farmers that the price supports aren’t in jeopardy.

莫迪及其部长们表示，这些担忧是没有根据的，价格保证计划将继续实施。政府甚至提高了冬季作物的最低价格，试图让农民相信价格不会不受控制。

The issue has become even more heated because of the pandemic. The disruption to farms and supply chains has exposed weaknesses in the government welfare system, which is hampered by bureaucracy, underfunding and archaic distribution facilities.

由于大流行，这一问题变得更加尖锐。农场和供应链的中断暴露了政府福利体系的弱点，官僚作风、资金不足和陈旧的配送设施阻碍了福利体系的运转。

Farmers point out that, while the government’s guaranteed prices are often considered benchmarks, private buyers don’t have to pay them.

农民们指出，虽然政府的担保价格通常被视为基准，但私人买家并不需要按照这些价格购买。

“We are disappointed,” said Charanjeet Singh, who grows rice, wheat and vegetables on his farm in the northern state of Haryana. “The government should guarantee that all farmers, irrespective of whether they are selling in the designated grain markets or to private buyers, will get at least the minimum support price.”

查兰吉特·辛格在印度北部哈里亚纳邦的农场种植水稻、小麦和蔬菜。他说:“我们很失望。政府应该保证所有农民，无论他们是在指定的粮食市场销售还是卖给私人买家，都至少能享受最低价格保障。”

印度时报读者的评论：

译文来源：三泰虎 http://www.santaihu.com/p/51072.html   译者：Jessica.Wu

ASHOK Dogra

Mr. Modi. GOD GIVEN GIFT TO INDIA. Jai Jawan Jai Hind.

莫迪先生是神赐给印度的礼物。印度必胜！

Biranchi Narayan Acharya

Let's see what happens. The intent of the PM is honest. Thus we should expect for the best.

让我们拭目以待。总理的出发点是好的，希望一切顺利。

Godfather Senior

If all the opposition parties are opposing any law, then it must be 100% good for the nation and people !

如果反对党都反对一项法律，那这些法律对国家和人民一定是100%有益的!

Timir Ghosh

Yes, India shall become the hub of farm product export world wide.

印度将成为世界农产品出口中心。

satya murthy

India soon export power house of Agri-products.. bcz of highest no of farm community with intensive agl

印度很快就能出口农产品了。

Rana Pratap

and indians will starve due to paucity and high price of food grains which will all be hoarded by MNCs and exported; return of the East India Company raj

印度人将会因为粮食短缺且价格飞涨而挨饿，而这些粮食都将被跨国公司囤积起来并出口

东印度公司又回来了

Sunil kumar k k

If crooks are agitating against the farm bill , then it must be good for our country.

不法分子正在煽动反对农业法案，该法案一定对我们的国家有好处。

Guest

Modiji vision is great ,but middlemen and Dalals are very powerful mafia.They the middlemen can even bring down the govt.Opposition parties are already under the control of Dalals.How modiji will overcome these forces is the million dollar question

莫迪的愿景是伟大的，而中间商是非常强大的黑手党。反对党已经在他们的控制之下。莫迪将如何克服这些反对势力，这是一个重要的问题

MLG

The biggest problem with our indian mentality is we do not want to change be it our social customs or be it the way buisness to be done. I totally agree with this new farm policies.I

我们印度人心态的最大问题是，我们不想改变社会习俗，或者是做生意的方式。我完全同意这项新的农业政策。

Fnu Ashis

Feku chand lives in his own wonderland. He has zero knowledge of economy but he would blabber his mouth everyday as if he has so much expertise in economy. He cannot see that already crores of people have lost job because of his foolish policies

莫迪生活在自己的仙境里。他对经济一窍不通，却每天喋喋不休地说个不停，好像他在经济方面很精通似的。他看不到已经有成千上万的人因为其愚蠢的政策而失去了工作

Vijayakumar Bhosale

Much awaited good news in present conditions. Govt is doing what others could not do in last 70 years.

这是期盼已久的好消息。本届政府做了前任政府在过去70年里做不到的事。

Mithu Odedra

I have come to believe that, when the opposition parties starts screaming,it means the law is for beneficial,for the intended section of the communities.

我相信，当反对党开始大声疾呼时，这就意味着这项法案对农民是有好处的。

Manu R

Well done Modi Sir, As usual, the Chors and the Dalal's will not like it.

干得好，莫迪先生，像往常一样，中间商不会喜欢的。

Michaelalok

PM MODI JI IS A GREAT VISIONARY LEADER AND A TRUE FRIEND OF FARMERS.

莫迪总理是一位有远见的伟大领袖，也是印度农民的真正朋友。

Dreet

Are you a Farmer?

你是农民吗?

iindian

small farmers will not get any benefit from these new reforms

这些新改革不会给小农户带来任何好处

Chaitanya

Based on last 6 years of experience with this govt, non of the policies have benefited the common people of India.

鉴于这届政府过去6年的表现，这些政策不会惠及印度普通民众。

Nag Balkur

a very good reform like 1991 reform which was also opposed heavily.

这是非常好的改革，就像1991年的改革一样，后者也遭到了强烈反对。

Mithu Odedra

We the farmers of India,are supporting new laws,in full spirit.

我们印度农民全力支持新法案。

Dreet

Are you a farmer? I am curious

你是农民吗?我很好奇

santosh kumar

This PM make experiments on our economy with no logic....till now we see all reform is in vain...useless person

这位无能的总理对我们的经济进行毫无逻辑的试验……到目前为止，我们看到所有的改革都是徒劳的……