Residents need to brace up for a sudden rise in vegetable and fruits prices next week as the supply of essential commodities will be affected in Mumbai due to a proposed strike by traders at Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Vashi on Tuesday. They will protest against the state government's decision to de-notify all agriculture commodities from mandis.

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The price of vegetable and fruits are likely to increase as there will be no supply on Tuesday and Wednesday. All five markets, spice, onion and potato, fruit, vegetable and grain markets will be closed on November 27.

The traders are opposing the state government's ordinance, issued on October 25, that is de-notifying all agriculture commodities with immediate effect. It means that farmers and traders are free to sell their produce within and outside the APMCs.

The decision did not go well with traders at APMC as they alleged a discrimination against them. Sanjay Pansare, former fruit market director at APMC Vashi, said that why people will buy commodities from APMC if they have to pay more than outside market.

"Traders at APMC work under various Acts and they have to pay different charges. Earlier, sellers have to pay cess while selling their produce. Now, buyers have to pay those cess. Why anyone will buy any products when the same can available at low cost outside APMC," said Pansare. He further added that the stress on the use of an electronic mode of payment is also not possible as many farmers come at APMC do not have bank accounts, and most of the trades are executed on credit basis. "It seems that the decision has been taken without knowing the ground situation," said Pansare.

Earlier, the Chamber of Associations of Maharashtra Industry trade (CAMIT) along with representatives of associations of APMC markets and the Mathadi leaders Shashikant Shinde and Narendra Patil met with the Minister for Cooperation and Marketing Subhash Deshmukh and sought more clarity on the role of commission agents in APMCs and also transactions on eNAM. However, they did not any respite and decided to go on strike. Mohan Gurnani, Chairman CAMIT said that there must level playing field and the state government needs to look into the decision.

ISSUES WITH NORM

  • The traders will protest against the decision to de-notify all agriculture commodities from mandis  
  • All five markets, spice, onion and potato, fruit, vegetable and grain markets will be closed  
  • The decision did not go well with traders as they alleged discrimination against them