Veggie prices may rise as APMC traders go on an indefinite strike
NAVI MUMBAI: Expect a rise in vegetable prices as traders and mathadis of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) wholesale markets across the state began an indefinite strike after the government passed a bill on essential items on Tuesday.
The state decided to free essential items from the purview of the APMC Act if those items are sold outside the markets.
The government will also limit the regulations of the act to the market yards, forcing taxes on traders who conduct their business at these markets. The APMC traders said they too should be freed from the regulations of the act.
The traders and mathadis had been on a one-day strike on Tuesday to protest against the bill. However, the government passed the bill in the house even as the traders and mathadis held a meeting at the APMC market in Vashi during the strike.
Following the ordinance, the traders declared an indefinite strike, claiming they are being given step-motherly treatment.
The traders have said that they have roped in other APMCS in the state and trade associations that are under various confederations.
On October 25, the state had issued an ordinance freeing several essential items sold outside APMC markets from the act. On Tuesday, Mohan Gurnani, the chairman of Chamber of Associations of Maharashtra Industry Trade (CAMIT), along with representatives of different associations of APMC markets, including the chairman of the Navi Mumbai Merchants Chamber, Kirti Ran, and mathadi leaders Shashikant Shinde and Narendra Patil, had met state minister for cooperation Subhash Deshmukh. The leaders urged him to free the APMC markets from the purview of the Act.
“We had called for a one-day strike. During our meeting with the minister, we learnt that the government passed the bill today despite our opposition. Hence, we have decided to go on an indefinite strike across the entire state,” Patil said on Tuesday.
He further added that with the ambit of the act restricted to the APMC premises, the employment of the mathadis could come under threat.
Rana said, “Our fight is for both – the farmers and the consumers. The goods from the APMC markets will get costlier for consumers owing to the government’s decision. Multinational companies, malls and e-commerce portals have been The APMC market comprises five wholesale markets for vegetables, fruits, onions and potatoes, grains and spices
is the every day turnover of the market
people whose livelihoods depend on this market
HOW WILL THE STRIKE AFFECT YOU
Vegetable retailers said the indefinite strike could lead to immediate rise in vegetable prices.
“Today itself we had a problem with the supply of green vegetables due to the strike. Now with an indefinite strike, the situation will worsen because vegetables are perishable and can’t be stocked for long,” Vishwanath Gupta,
₹25 crore 1 lakh
freed from the regulations, but APMC markets continue to be bound by them. The prime minister talks of one tax for the nation. Then why this dual policy for additional taxes on us? All APMC stake holders, including traders and mathadis will suffer. It is a question of our very existence,” he said.
Shinde has threatened that they would not allow the transportation of goods anywhere across the state.
“The chief minister and other ministers had assured us that we will be taken into confidence before the bill is passed. However, they went ahead and passed the bill arbitrarily in a hurry. So we will now ensure the bandh is followed all over the state.”
Gurnani on the other hand said that while the move to de-regulate essential commodities from the purview of APMC 45, a retailer from Sector 9, Vashi, said on Tuesday.he further added that in the absence of the supply from APMC, vegetables have to be sourced from Thane and Panvel. “The farmers will bring the produce directly to these places, if they are allowed a free passage. However, this will lead to a three-fold increase in our cost. The prices had just come down due to good arrivals.” Sudheesh Gupta, 27, another retailer, said that some of the smaller retailers are forced to pay additional ₹10/kg. MATHADI MEETING AT
APMC TODAY
The Mathadi union will be holding a meeting of the mathadis on Wednesday at the onion and potato market, to chalk out their further plan against the state’s decision.
Act is laudable, the commodities should be made exempt even within the market yards.
Meanwhile, vegetable retailers spoke about how the indefinite strike could lead to an immediate rise in vegetable prices. “On Tuesday itself we had a problem with the supply of green vegetables owing to the strike. Now with an indefinite strike, the situation will worsen because vegetables are perishable and can’t be stocked for long,” Vishwanath Gupta, 45, a retailer from Sector 9, Vashi, said.
He further added that in the absence of supply from APMC, vegetables have to be sourced from Thane and Panvel.
Also, the mathadi union will be holding a meeting on Wednesday at the onion and potato market, to chalk out their further plans against the decision.