17 February 2025 : Indian Express Editorial Analysis

1. A success story like Amul

(Source – Indian Express, Section – The Ideas Page – Page No. – 09)

Analysis of the news:

Growth of India’s Fruits and Vegetables Sector

• India’s fruits and vegetables (F&V) sector is expanding at a faster pace than cereals, contributing nearly 30% to the value of crop agriculture.
• Besides being more nutritious, it has the potential to enhance farmers’ incomes significantly.
• However, the sector lacks the necessary policy attention and institutional support compared to cereals.
• The absence of organized value chains, inadequate storage facilities, and limited processing infrastructure make F&V highly vulnerable to seasonal price fluctuations, market gluts, and post-harvest losses.
• According to NABCONS (2022), post-harvest losses amount to 8.1% for fruits and 7.3% for vegetables, contributing to an annual economic loss of ₹1.53 trillion.
• Additionally, due to fragmented supply chains, farmers receive only about 30% of the consumer price, highlighting the need for structural reforms.

Learning from India’s Milk Revolution

• The transformation of India’s dairy sector under Verghese Kurien’s leadership is a model of success that the F&V sector could potentially replicate.
• Through a well-structured cooperative model, India transitioned from a milk-deficient nation to the world’s largest milk producer, with 239 million tonnes in 2023-24.
• Milk cooperatives like AMUL ensured that dairy farmers received between 75-80% of the consumer price.
• Unlike milk, however, the F&V sector involves multiple commodities, each requiring specialized infrastructure.
• Seasonal fluctuations, regional production concentration, and high perishability make price stabilization difficult.
• A structured approach involving aggregation, grading, processing, and direct market linkages is essential to ensure stability and better earnings for farmers.

The Role of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)

• Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) are key to addressing structural inefficiencies in the F&V sector.
• A case in point is Sahyadri Farmer Producer Company Ltd (SFPCL) in Maharashtra’s Nashik district.
• Founded in 2004 by Vilas Shinde, SFPCL has grown from a small group of 10 farmers to a vast network covering 31,000 acres and 26,500 registered farmers by 2023-24.
• Its turnover surged from ₹13 crore in 2011-12 to ₹1,549 crore in 2023-24, showcasing the power of organized farming.

• About 64.6% of SFPCL’s revenue comes from domestic sales, while 35.4% comes from exports, with grapes and tomatoes being the dominant contributors.
• SFPCL’s success lies in its ability to integrate small farmers into structured value chains, ensuring quality, traceability, and access to global markets.

Strengthening Value Chains and Processing Infrastructure

• SFPCL’s ability to connect farmers to international markets has made it India’s largest grape exporter, with 90% of its grapes reaching the EU and UAE.
• Farmers under SFPCL receive around 55% of the Free on Board (FOB) price, significantly higher than traditional markets.
• The company has also invested heavily in processing infrastructure, particularly for tomatoes, which contribute 35% of its domestic revenue.
• By processing tomatoes into ketchup, puree, and sauce, SFPCL has mitigated price volatility and ensured stable farmer incomes.
• The company’s expansion has also created over 6,000 jobs, with women comprising 32% of the workforce.
• These interventions highlight how organized FPOs can revolutionize the F&V sector through aggregation, processing, and direct market access.

Scaling Up: Policy Interventions and Future Roadmap

• The success of Sahyadri Farms provides a scalable model for the entire F&V sector. The Indian government has targeted the formation of 10,000 FPOs, with 8,875 already registered as of August 2024.
• Scaling up FPOs like SFPCL could replicate the milk revolution in the F&V sector.

However, three key interventions are needed:

1. Strengthening FPOs – Providing institutional support, working capital, infrastructure, and digital integration through platforms like the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). Blockchain technology could improve transparency and farmer earnings.
2. Revamping Operation Greens and the National Horticulture Mission – The government’s 2018 initiative to stabilize perishable prices lacked a strong leader like Kurien and had limited financial backing (₹500 crore). A more robust implementation strategy is required.
3. Developing Commodity-Specific Value Chains – At least 10-20% of F&V produce should be processed to prevent distress sales and stabilize prices.

Towards a National Fruits and Vegetables Board

• To transform the F&V sector, India needs a National Fruit and Vegetable Board, akin to the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
• Such an institution would streamline market linkages, promote efficient value chains, and integrate retailers like SAFAL to ensure better price realization for farmers.
• The key question remains: Can Vilas Shinde become the Verghese Kurien of India’s F&V sector?
• The Sahyadri model has already demonstrated a successful approach. With the right scale, policy support, and leadership, India could ensure that F&V farmers receive at least 55-60% of the consumer price, leading to a major transformation in the agricultural landscape.

Conclusion

• India’s F&V sector has immense potential but remains unorganized, leading to high post-harvest losses and low farmer earnings.
• With the right leadership and reforms, India can replicate its milk success in the F&V sector, driving agricultural prosperity.

2. Decongesting the court

(Source – Indian Express, Section – The Ideas Page- Page No. – 09)

The Growing Crisis of Judicial Backlog

• The Indian judicial system is currently grappling with an overwhelming backlog of pending cases, leading to significant delays in justice delivery.
• Data reveals that 74.9% of high court cases and 63.1% of lower court cases have been pending for over a year, with other judicial fora similarly saturated.
• The adage “justice delayed is justice denied” holds true in this context, as prolonged litigation not only affects litigants but also erodes public confidence in the judiciary.
• Addressing this crisis requires an active and coordinated effort from all stakeholders, including courts, lawyers, litigants, and policymakers.

Judicial Delays: Who is Responsible?

• While it is common to attribute delays to an overburdened judiciary, the onus of timely justice falls on multiple stakeholders.
• The legal profession, government agencies, litigants, and even courts contribute to the problem in various ways.
• The recent Supreme Court judgment in K Vadivel v K Shanthi & Ors (September 30, 2024) highlights the role of frivolous litigation in clogging the justice system.
• The case, which originated from a 2013 FIR and underwent multiple procedural delays, underscores how prolonged proceedings can be exacerbated by unnecessary legal filings and repeated interventions.

Frivolous Litigation and Its Consequences

The Supreme Court, in its ruling, directly pointed to the legal profession’s role in ensuring that meritless cases do not enter the judicial system. The judgment noted that:

• Lawyers must exercise discretion before filing applications with “outrageous and ex facie unbelievable averments.”
• Frivolous cases consume valuable judicial time, delaying cases that genuinely require attention.
• Courts must impose exemplary costs on parties engaging in vexatious litigation to deter misuse of the legal system.
• The SC also emphasized that courts themselves must be vigilant and prevent unwarranted delays by dismissing meritless petitions at an early stage.

Striking a Balance: Speedy Justice vs. Legal Procedure

• While speedy disposal of cases is crucial, it must not come at the expense of thorough legal scrutiny and procedural fairness.
• The judiciary faces the challenge of balancing efficiency with adherence to due process.

A systemic approach is required, where:

1. Judges ensure that only deserving cases proceed beyond preliminary hearings.
2. Lawyers uphold ethical standards by avoiding frivolous litigation.
3. Litigants refrain from unnecessary appeals and delays.
4. Courts utilize technology and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms to expedite case resolution.

Global Best Practices in Tackling Judicial Delays

Several countries have legislative and procedural mechanisms to prevent undue delays in the judicial system:

• United States: The 28 USC § 1927 provides for sanctions against lawyers who engage in vexatious litigation.
• Ireland: The Court Proceedings (Delays) Act 2024 focuses on judicial efficiency and mandates time-bound case resolutions.
• Singapore & Hong Kong: These jurisdictions employ rigorous case management techniques, including strict timelines for hearings and mandatory ADR methods.

A Collective Responsibility for Judicial Efficiency

The Supreme Court rightly observed that delayed justice can erode the rule of law and shake public faith in the judiciary. While courts have taken steps to improve case management and digital integration, the issue needs a multi-stakeholder approach:

• Legislators should introduce legal reforms to streamline case disposal.
• Judges must enforce stricter case management protocols.
• Lawyers should avoid filing unnecessary applications and encourage ADR methods.
• Litigants must refrain from delaying tactics and misuse of legal remedies.

Conclusion: A Systemic Overhaul is Needed

• Judicial delays are not just a judicial problem but a systemic issue requiring a holistic solution.
• The K Vadivel ruling serves as a wake-up call for all stakeholders to reassess their role in ensuring efficient justice delivery.
• If India can adopt stringent deterrents against frivolous litigation and implement international best practices, the judiciary can be decongested, leading to a more robust, efficient, and credible justice system.

Read previous Editorial- 15 February 2025 : Indian Express Editorial Analysis