Impact on Market integration in the food corporation of India

Abstract

This paper examines the spatial integration of major staple commodity markets in India. We consider wheat, rice, pearl millet, and corn markets. This set represents the two most highly regulated crops, wheat and rice; and two that are regulated to a lesser degree, pearl millet and corn. Our data come from the states of Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, states that produce a large share of India’s cereal grains. Access to food remains an important issue for India as it develops. Because of this, the Indian government regulates the markets for staple foods heavily, requiring almost all grain be marketed through government licensed mandis.