Traders call off strike against anomalies in APMC Act changes

Arrival of agri produce to improve from Thursday onwards and thereby bring relief in prices

Traders on Wednesday have called off a week long strike to protest against the anomalies in the ordinance issued by the Maharashtra government to amend the Agriculture Marketing Produce Committees (APMCs) Act , 1963, deregulating sale of vegetables and fruits. The ordinance, which was issued on July 5, had proposed the APMC jurisdiction upto the committee yard while outside its yard  there won't be any jurisdiction. However, if someone has to trade he or she will have to obtain the license from the state director marketing.

Traders however, made a strong pitch for the total de-listing of fruits and vegetables from the list of schedules of the APMC Act. They contended that this will lead to the application of  the same rules and provisions of APMC Act  in and outside the committee yard and there won't be any differentiation. The government at the meeting held today announced to set up a committee lead by the state minister of marketing Subhash Deshmukh to work out the procedure of complete delisting of fruits and vegetables. The committee will submit its report within a three week.

With the calling off strike, the  307 APMCs across the state are expected to resume their functioning from Thursday onwards. This is also expected to improve the arrival of agricultural produce and thereby contain the prices.

A senior government official told Business Standard,'' The government sees the demand made by traders to fully delist fruits and vegetables  from the list of schedules of APMC Act is forward looking. However, it needs to be done  while ensuring protection of interests of farmers and Mathadi workers. Besides, the existence of APMCs will also have to be protected.''

Further, traders have assured not to charge commission from farmers during the procurement of the agriculture produce.

The government's intervention necessitated especially when  prices of vegetables and fruits going north in the Mumbai region following the traders' strike. The protest by traders also led the state government to allow direct market licensees and farm produce companies to set up open markets. The government granted 148 Direct Marketing Licenses of which 91 are for fruits and vegetables. The arrival from farmers in the meanwhile increased as the power of APMCs to stand on the road and check the truck has gone.

The government on Tuesday  issued a stern warning that traders will lose their license if they continue strike.