Model Act to revolutionise M'shtra APMC

Provisions of the Model Act on agricultural reforms will revolutionise the present marketing system in Maharashtra, a state government official said recently. However, he allayed fears that the act would make agricultural produce market committees redundant.

The Model Act on agricultural reforms, drafted by the central government has been adopted, either partially or in whole, by 16 states in India.

Under the present APMC Act, farmers are required to sell their produce only to the APMC under which he comes.

"The Model Act contains various amendments to existing APMC Act, to create alternative markets and competition to existing regime of 'regulation of marketing'," said Sunil Pawar, general manager, Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board, said last Saturday.

"We [government of Maharashtra] have adopted most of these amendments," Pawar said. However, he said "the new amendments will not cause any harm to the existing APMCs and marketing functionaries operating therein". Mumbai APMC Secretary Y D Khavale also concurred.

"We [Vashi APMC] will not be affected by the amendments. In fact, it will reduce the burden on our system," he said.

Khavale said, Vashi APMC yard is finding it difficult to handle the huge arrivals of agricultural produce, and development of alternative markets would reduce some pressure on our market.

The Model Act has already been passed by the state assembly in the last session and the notification will be issued within a month after being finalised by the state's law department, Pawar said.

Maharashtra Agricultural Marketing Minister Harshvardhan Patil recently said that the Model Act will convert agricultural markets from buyers' market to sellers' market.