The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 aims to create a national framework to protect farmers and allow them to do business directly with private buyers in a transparent manner. The bills aim to reduce government interference in agricultural trade by allowing trade outside of government-run marketplaces (APMCs) and removing restrictions on private stockpiling of farm produce. However, some see the bills as weakening the APMC system and threatening the minimum support price system that benefits farmers, especially in states like Punjab and Haryana. While APMCs have shortcomings, farmers still view them as important for ensuring fair prices and the survival of the minimum support price regime.