Unable to stop Delhi's commission agents from charging 8 per cent commission from Himachal Pradesh apple growers, the state government is now planning to open its own market at Kundli, on the outskirts of Delhi.
The Himachal Pradesh government owns a patch of land at Kundli border in Haryana, close to Delhi's Azadpur market and is now planning a market here with a complete marketing set up in the joint venture.
“If we are able to build a market here we want to focus on selling floriculture, organic crops, off season vegetables and medicinal herbs here,” Narender Bragta, the state horticulture minister told Business Standard.
“Since aditional land will be needed here we will request the Haryana government for land,” Bragta said.
The Kundli proposal is being considered seriously now as the Delhi government has rejected the request of the northern states of Himachal, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir for providing a patch of land for setting up an exclusive market in Delhi.
The state government also plans to jointly take up the matter along with these two states so that Haryana provides more space at Kundli for setting up this marketing infrastructure. Once farmers are assured of trouble free good returns for floriculture, off season vegetables, herbs and organic crops, the state government hopes farmers will take to these crops in a big way. The state government has been crying sore for long with the Delhi government for charging a hefty 8 per cent commission from farmers for the selling their produce. They say this commission is unfairly charged by Delhi agents and isn't charged by markets in other states of northern India. It is also threatening to take this matter to court in Delhi.