Time for consumers to stand in solidarity with dairy farmers-Devinder Sharma
WHAT began as a small effort to help French dairy farmers overcome distress has galvanised into a unique consumer movement, slowly spreading its wings globally. While ensuring that the agri-food industry works towards a healthy transformation leading to sustainable and regenerative farming systems, French food cooperative brand C’est qui le Patron (‘Who’s the Boss?’) has emerged as a lifeline for farmers.
For all those who believe that giving a higher price to farmers distorts markets, here is a great learning. Instead of always wanting food to be cheap, consumers are willing to pay more, provided they realise that the fair and remunerative price they pay supports farmers in earning a decent living. And if calibrated well, it can help provide them, in return, safe and healthy food. With consumers increasingly taking control over the food chain, this quid pro quo has only grown. This is reflected in the sales of its products, showing an average increase of 31 per cent. And if consumers are willing to pay extra, there is no reason why the agribusiness industry cannot be made to pay the right price to growers.
This assumes importance at a time when the demand by protesting Indian farmers for legalising the minimum support price has drawn the ire of mainline economists, the media and the middle class, who fear that it will increase food inflation. But if consumers in France and elsewhere are voluntarily paying more, realising how the denial of a fair price kills farm livelihoods, instead of creating a fear psychosis, mainline economists in India must realise that the effort should be to educate consumers on how crucial it is to ensure decent prices for farmers. By and large, consumers are sensitive to farmers’ plight. And with the right kind of awareness, they can easily change consumption behaviour that also makes market forces change.
It all began in 2016, when milk prices crashed in France amid surplus production. This resulted in the near collapse of the French dairy industry. As dairy farmers began to pull down shutters, the farm suicide rate in rural areas soared. It was during those difficult times that Nicolas Chabanne met a dairy farmer, Martial Darbon, who was the president of a local dairy cooperative. As they discussed the plight of the farming community and the distress that prevailed all around, the idea of bringing together consumers to support farmers took shape. “I knew it was difficult, but it was worth a try,” Nicolas, who founded the initiative, had told me.