Gujarat govt frees up supplies by relaxing APMC norms amid lockdown

Farmer need only bring samples of their produce; post auction they can mutually decide with buyers on whether delivery will be from the farm gate or from some agreed warehouse

In a bid to ensure resumption of auctions of vegetables and foodgrain at the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) market yards across the state, the Gujarat government has relaxed certain norms for the same.

The state government has said a farmer need not bring his produce to the mandi. He has to come with a sample of his produce. Once auction is over, he can mutually decide with the buyer whether the delivery will be from a farmgate or some agreed-to warehouse.

APMCs across the state had voluntarily shut down till April 14 under the nationwide lockdown announced on March 24. However, the state government is looking to ensure procedural relaxation to open mandis from Wednesday. This is being done to ensure sale of farmers’ produce and supply to end-consumers do not get impacted during the second phase of the lockdown extended till May 3.

For instance, instead of bringing their entire produce to market yards, farmers can now bring samples for price negotiations with traders, following which both parties can ensure delivery directly from the farm to traders or processing units, the latest circular by the director of Agriculture Marketing and Rural Finance, Government of Gujarat.

“Farmers can come with a sample of their produce to decide on the price. Delivery can be decided with the trader and can be made from farm to factory or godown as decided by both parties. If a farmer does come with the whole produce, it should be kept outside the market yard,” the circular says.

To ensure these norms are implemented, the circular calls for appointment of a district-level committee to be chaired by the district registrar along with other agricultural officials in the district.

“All market yards should register in advance farmers who wish to come and sell their produce. These farmers can be allotted specific days on which they can come to the market for selling their produce based on a token system,” the circular states.

Apart from keeping the procedure transparent, the circular also lays out norms for social distancing as well as health and sanitisation measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 at APMCs.
 

The APMCs have been advised to allot separate days to farmers and traders dealing in different commodities.

Other measures include mandatory face masks and gloves, sanitisation and health check-up using digital infrared temperature guns at entry, and alternate days to be assigned for trading of grain and vegetables if both are traded at the same market yards, with circles drawn to assign spots for each farmer or trader while trading to maintain social distancing.

Moreover, at market yards where both vegetables as well as foodgrain are traded, both should be allotted a separate time for trading, the circular advises.

However, APMCs are somewhat sceptical about following all the norms of ensuring social distancing.

“We are in favour of farmers trading directly with buyers at the farm level. But ensuring social distancing at the yard level looks difficult. The real picture will only emerge when APMCs open on April 15. As of now, the deputy collector will be issuing lockdown passes to 50 per cent of those who have registered trading licences at the APMC,” said Gopal Shingala, chairman of Gondal APMC, which typically sees a footfall of 10,000-15,000 farmers and traders on any given day. The market deals in commodities like wheat, garlic, onion, cumin, fenugreek, and chilli.