In order to break a deadlock of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee’s (APMC) strike, the government on Tuesday announced to bring an ordinance offering fair prices for the fruits and vegetables.
In order to break a deadlock of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee’s (APMC) strike, the government on Tuesday announced to bring an ordinance offering fair prices for the fruits and vegetables. It has also allowed to set up e-markets so that consumers can directly buy the farm products.
Mumbaikars are facing steep rise in prices of vegetables, fruits and other perishable items as traders of the APMC have gone on strike in protest of de-listing fruits and vegetables from the APMC market. It means that farmers will have the freedom to sell them in the open market without going to APMC markets. Mumbai gets its supply of vegetables from the APMC market at Vashi, which is also closed due to strike.
A meeting regarding this held in Mantralaya on Thursday brought some relief to consumers and the farmers.
“It has been decided to bring an ordinance making amendment in the APMC act 1963 offering good prices to agro-products. Setting up of e-markets has been approved. The farmer would benefit from recovering market fees only once,” a release from the government said.
The marketing department of the government has also appealed the farmers from Pune, Thane, Ahmednagar and Satara districts to send the agriculture products directly to the city instead of going to the APMCs. A control room will also be set up in Pune to deal with any complaints regarding distribution of the vegetables. The state government is also planning to connect retail chains with the farmers so their products can come to the market directly, the release said.
The government has also refused to soften its stand and said that the traders may lose their licences if they continue with the strike. On the other hand, the APMC has decided to challenge the government’s decision in the Bombay high court.
