Fight for the Onion Pie

Lasalgaon Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) chairman Jaydatta Holkar has said that the market was forced to stop functioning due to forces beyond its control. Both, the maparis (measuring personnel) and hamals (coolies) want an increase in their remuneration on a per quintal basis and as decided by the government. While traders say it is an issue between the APMC management and the maparis and hamals, the farmers have refused to pay the extra levy amount, which is recovered from them. “There are several issues like double deduction of various fees by the traders from the farmers and licencing procedures. If the APMC gives a licence to a new trader, the present traders’ cartel refuses to participate in the auction. Will the new trader buy all the onion We as the APMC were established to safeguard the rights of farmers. If we cannot do it, it’s no use in working as directors,” Mr Holkar told The Asian Age. “We were forced to stop the market functions from Wednesday because the farmers would have brought their produce into the market with no buyers and we would have been blamed. On the other hand, the government orders us from time to time to do something. Can we do anything illegal ” Mr Holkar questioned. He also said that traders deducted various charges twice and the farmers have to pay. “We want this to stop,” he added. Speaking to this newspaper, onion trader Nandushet Daga said, “It’s an issue between the farmers and the APMC. We are willing to participate in the auction anytime. It’s the APMC’s issue and they should solve it.” The Lasalgaon market has about 60 onion merchants, 105 maparis and 242 hamals. The maparis weigh the onion in the storerooms of the traders and charge '2.12 per quintal. The government recently hiked their fees by 44 per cent. Now, the maparis want '3.05 per quintal. Hamals presently charge '2.68 per quintal and '0.87 warai (downloading sacks from a vehicle). They now want '3.80 plus '0.87 per quintal. These charges are deducted from the farmers’ payment by the storehouse owner who has around 40 merchants’ accounts. The storehouse owners do not want to deduct the extra charges due to fear of the farmers, while the traders do not wish to pay out of their accounts and want the APMC to decide. The farmers refuse to pay the extra charges, which has caused an impasse. “The smooth functioning of the market requires meshing of all the five stakeholders — farmers, APMC, traders, maparis and hamals. In the past, every factor has contributed in stopping the market in some way. In the end, the farmer and consumer suffers. The farmers suffer because they can’t sell their produce and the storage cost goes up. The consumer suffers because of high prices. A perfect solution is necessary,” said farmer Dinkarrao Aher. The state should implement laws in letter and spirit, stated NCP Youth Congress Pradesh secretary Udai Aher. “Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil has directed strict action against hoarding by traders. But, it should be implemented. Farmers have suffered since time immemorial,” he said.