India: Conflict as farmers allowed to sell direct to consumers
Just recently the State Agriculture Marketing Board (MSAMB) despatched a letter to all the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) in the state, informing them that all the notified fruits and vegetables in its schedule will be decontrolled in a month's time.
This will remove all involvement in the supply chain currently held by APMC traders.
The aim of the move is to bring down prices which, often, are unaffordable to many consumers. It will also bring an end to allegations that middlemen are making excessive profits at the expense of growers and consumers.
The state government has given the traders 30 days to raise any complaints and issues they might have.
The traders have already hit back, claiming that the move is making way for direct foreign intervention in the food markets and that it will mean the end of many jobs.
Narendra Patil, leader of the APMC mathadi union, said, "It is a conspiracy by the governments to make an easy entry for multinational companies like Wal-Mart in the retail sector.
If the state decontrols notified fruits and vegetables from the APMC market, over 20,000 people will be left jobless, which includes labourers, transporters, retailers and traders. Also, farmers will not benefit much, as they do not have enough facilities to carry out direct selling." Traders from all the APMC markets in the state will be meeting at the APMC market in Vashi to decide their course of action to oppose decontrolling.
Source: www.ndtv.com
