Is WTO alone responsible for poor market access by Indian farmers or traders?
May be we also are to blame for not having large-scale market access. We have not made that kind of investment in post-harvest technology, for cleaning, processing, marketing etc. Some efforts are being made in Maharashtra. Thanks to V Kurien, we have made some investments in the dairy sector and there are visible benefits also. There are milk processing units, Mother Dairy etc. We don’t have that kind of cold chain and other facilities in horticulture or floriculture. Our infrastructure facilities are too poor to cater to export markets. The National Horticulture Board was floated 18 years ago to do this work. Without any professional leadership, it has failed. The de-professionalisation of a professional organisation is a self-inflicted injury. I see this in every part of development. No WTO is forcing us to put non-professionals to do professional jobs. I have always held that farmers need more services than subsidy, services in terms of investment. Even if the government cuts down
