Taking More than a Commission : A Critique of the Commission Agent System in Punjab Agriculture

Contents Foreword Preface 1 Origin and Growth of Moneylenders in Punjab 2 Status of the Commission Agent System in Punjab Agriculture 3 Changing Scenario of the Commission Agent System 4 Perceptions Regarding the Commission Agent System 5 The Direct Payment System in Agricultural Marketing 6 Increasing Indebtedness; Increasing Dependency 7 Conclusions and Recommendations References AppendicesThe traditional money lending system as represented by the arhtiyas in rural Punjab is undergoing varied changes As Punjab?s agrarian crisis is deepening day by day the entire peasantry has sunk deeply into indebtedness On the one hand farmers have become increasingly dependent on the arhtiya for a steady flow of cash not only for agricultural inputs but also for other daily needs crucial to their survival on the other capitalist development in the agrarian sector has transformed the rigid caste based arhtiya system into a lucrative economic profession where today even big farmers after reaping surplus form agriculture are joining this business It is time for policy makers experts and other stake holders to look at these changes closely This book explores the various dimensions of the arhtiya system and attempts to suggest an alternate marketing system It also questions the prevalent informal credit market and recommends measures in favour of the hard working debt-ridden peasantry of Punjab 142 pp.…