Kalamna strike makes potatoes and onions costly

Nagpur: Rates of potatoes and onions shot up on the eve of strike by commission agents dealing in farm produce. Potatoes which were available at Rs16 a kg in the bulk market touched Rs22 on Tuesday as the agents planned a strike. Onions were up at Rs12-13 a kg as against Rs8-9 a kg. With this, the retail rates are expected to touch Rs30 and 20 per kg, respectively.
The commission agents operating from Kalamana are on a strike from Wednesday against the government’s move to end the monopoly of agriculture produce marketing committee (APMC) run markets.
Sheikh Ahmedbhai, the chairman of APMC said the management has received notice for a three-day strike. Though agents say they have planned an indefinite agitation, traders expect that the strike may not last beyond three days.
Earlier, farm produce of all kind was supposed to be sold through the APMC market yard where business is dominated by the agents. They buy the stock from farmers and sell it in the trade channel. The APMC, on the other hand, is managed by a politically elected body.
Jaiprakash Wasani, an agent dealing in onions and potatoes, said though agents in other APMC yards have already gone on a strike, those in Kalamana waited for three days so that the maximum number of farmers could sell their produce.
A section of traders say that the strike itself will be a test of how APMCs’ monopoly can be ended. There was no change in the rate of grains so far. As far as fruits and vegetables are concerned they can be traded even outside.
Cotton Market where bulk dealers in vegetables operate will remain open. The major commodities available at Kalamana include onions, potatoes, fruits, vegetables and dry chilli.
A chilli trader said even otherwise chilli trade takes place only on Mondays and Tuesdays. So a three-day strike from Wednesday will not make any difference.
“The market is dominated by fruit traders. Now that the monopoly of APMC is over, the farmers may sell it directly to the consumer,” the source said.