Sharad Pawar's political clout drives farm exports

When it comes to food exports from one of the world's biggest consumers, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar often holds the trump card with his four decades of experience and pivotal position in the coalition government.

This week, he's likely to push for at least 500,000 tonnes of sugar exports, ploughing over opposition from some colleagues keen to secure domestic supplies for India's 1.2 billion people and curb raging inflation.

Pawar, 70, has already pushed through several export deals for staple foods this year, using his leverage as the head of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to benefit farmers, his core voter constituency.

India, the world's top sugar consumer and biggest producer after Brazil, can cause big gyrations in international sugar prices because of its clout as either an exporter or an importer, depending on the progress of its crop.

"The prime minister listens to him and the cabinet listens to him," said P Chengal Reddy, secretary general of Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations.

"He is an authority on both farm and food, and his proposals either to the prime minister or the cabinet do not take time to see the light of the day."

Pawar also held the food portfolio until January this year and struggled to balance the needs of farmers and consumers. His successor at the food ministry, KV Thomas, now often opposes him on the powerful panel of ministers that debates exports.

Almost every time this panel meets, it allows agricultural exports -- testimony to the success of a man who has never lost an election in the four decades of his political life.

And his election success is not restricted to Indian politics. He was voted in unopposed last year to become head of the International Cricket Council -- a prestigious position especially for cricket-crazy Indians.

"Pawar is one of the most canny politicians India has ever had," said political columnist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta.

"He gave up the food portfolio so that he could back exports freely. As food and consumer affairs minister he could not do that as he had to balance between domestic supplies to keep prices down and exports to benefit farmers, his core voters."

Pawar's NCP is the third-biggest partner of the ruling Congress Party, largely deriving its support from the farmers of the sugar and cotton-rich state of Maharashtra, India's wealthiest.

The government has floundered in its second term, with high inflation and anger at corruption scandals paralysing economic reforms and souring support. Inflation has stayed around double digit for a year.

Pawar, who is usually seen wearing a starched, white safari suit, created the NCP after breaking away from Congress in 1999, and has held several senior government posts, including defence minister and chief minister of Maharashtra, since 1978.

His daughter, Supriya Sule, is also a politician, representing a constituency in Maharashtra.

There has been some criticism of business connections of his family members, including behind-the-scenes involvement in a bid for a team in the lucrative domestic T20 cricket tournament.

The bid was ultimately unsuccessful and Pawar denies any wrongdoing. No court cases have been brought against him.

Pawar's policies have also come under criticism in the past.

In 2008, he presided over a controversial decision to allow sugar exports, only to import the sweetener at higher prices the following year.

Last year, opposition parties and the media blamed Pawar's export policy for fuelling high food prices. He brushed aside the criticism, pointing out that he had successfully overseen bumper harvests of grains and sugar.

"Sharad Pawar's sole focus is the farmers' vote -- and this means supporting exports," said a member of the Congress party who declined for fear of upsetting Pawar.

For his supporters, Pawar is a man who has bettered their lives, transforming his home constituency in the middle of a vast arid zone in Maharashtra into a sort of oasis.

"What used to be a barren, dry plateau is now green revolution country," wrote Shekhar Gupta, editor-in-chief of the Indian Express newspaper.

"His constituents treat him as a deity of sorts."

Pawar's support for farmers, who make up about 20 per cent of India's population and contribute some 14 per cent to the wealth of the trillion-dollar economy, has also won over some of his opponents.

"I agree with him on exports. India needs to be seen as a credible, long-term supplier. It helps our farmers," said Sompal, a former agriculture minister in the government led by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.