[puranjay]

If seeds and pesticide weren't free, farmers would have to pass on these costs to the consumer. In a country where the poorest state has a per capita income of less than $51/month [0], even a 20% hike in food prices will hurt the weakest a great deal.

Coincidentally, the weakest often tend to be farmers themselves. Average land holding size for farmers is abysmally small - less than 3 acres - and shrinking every year [1]. The average Walmart parking lot is bigger than most farms in India.

Expecting such subsistence farmers for being "grateful" for their measly subsidies is a bit rich.

[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Bihar

[1]: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/SOG43o5ypqO13j0QflaawM/The...

[nervous_ring]

I'm not saying farmers shouldn't get the subsidies. But no one should have a problem if the sector's inefficiencies are removed and that generates frictional unemployment.

Uh, if they have access to every facility to improve but instead of availing of it, they choose to squander it all, I'm not going to be exactly sympathetic with them. I've firsthand seen the mindset of these people who want to do nothing all day and expect government dole-outs all the time.