Onion merchants give up licences

The Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) in the state could soon lose their monopoly as onion merchants from Nashik have begun returning their APMC licences on Saturday. There are more than a thousand onion merchants, which include 253 from Lasalgaon.

Onion merchants’ association president Sohanlal Bhandari told this paper on Saturday they were only following the government resolution (GR) which has allowed open purchase. “This open system is extremely beneficial to farmers. Now, there is no payment of commission, transportation, weighing and other costs for the farmer,” he said.

When asked if the model would be taken up by traders in other districts, Mr Bhandari said the APMC regulations in Nashik and in other districts were different.

“We are demanding a common law. Here we buy unpacked onions and so it costs us Rs 100 per quintal for packing while in other APMCs, the produce arrives packed. In Nashik, the auctions continue from 8 am till 6 pm. In other APMCs, such as in Mumbai, the auction is completed within a few hours. We have repeatedly asked the government and various committees to visit Nashik and see the anomalies,” Mr Bhandari said.

Earlier, merchants and farmers were at loggerheads over the amount of commission and other deductions in APMCs. The Maharashtra government recently directed that commission be recovered from the merchant, instead of the farmer.

Merchants in all APMCs in Maharashtra boycotted trading activity, triggering severe shortfall of essential commodities. After meetings with the government, the merchants, except those from Nashik, withdrew their boycott.

Nashik traders, while boycotting trading in APMC yards, began dealing with farmers and open purchases are continuing. Non-onion merchants have not boycotted APMCs and vegetables and grains are still being traded in APMC yards.

National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation director Nanasaheb Patil said there was no need for traders to boycott APMCs in Nashik, because merchants throughout the state were doing business in APMCs.

“The government will either bring in an ordinance or notification on August 6. If the merchants have any grievance, then it can be resolved at the APMC or through government-level discussions. Boycott and returning of licences is not the solution,” Mr Patil said.