Farmers' organizations from various parts of the state on Sunday demanded freeing up the sale of farm products from the ambit of the Agriculture Produce Marketing Act (APMC) to ensure a free market for products and to keep a check on artificial price rise and inflation.
The demand was raised at a meeting held here to discuss issues regarding prices of farm produces and other farmers' issues. The meeting was led by farmers' leader Raghunath Patil who said that farm products should be kept out of regulation to protect the interests of both farmers and buyers. The government should initiate urgent steps to ensure a regulation-free market, he said, adding that farmers would intensify their agitation otherwise.
The organisations have decided to stage protests during the upcoming session of the state assembly to draw the state government's attention towards their demands.
Patil said that their demand for free market has also been backed by city residents. About 20,000 citizens in Pune have signed a letter that has appealed to the government to deregulate essential farm products, including vegetables and fruits. The letter will be submitted to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in the next few days, he said.
He alleged that middlemen at various levels were responsible for the escalation of commodities. A farmer earns only 25% of the price quoted by a retailer in domestic markets. The remaining 75% is shared by middlemen present at various levels, including market committees. This chain leads to unnatural inflation and also hampers profitability of the producers, he said.
Patil and the other farmers also questioned the requirement of various types of cess or fees that farmers have to pay at marketing committees.
Source : Times of India
The demand was raised at a meeting held here to discuss issues regarding prices of farm produces and other farmers' issues. The meeting was led by farmers' leader Raghunath Patil who said that farm products should be kept out of regulation to protect the interests of both farmers and buyers. The government should initiate urgent steps to ensure a regulation-free market, he said, adding that farmers would intensify their agitation otherwise.
The organisations have decided to stage protests during the upcoming session of the state assembly to draw the state government's attention towards their demands.
Patil said that their demand for free market has also been backed by city residents. About 20,000 citizens in Pune have signed a letter that has appealed to the government to deregulate essential farm products, including vegetables and fruits. The letter will be submitted to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in the next few days, he said.
He alleged that middlemen at various levels were responsible for the escalation of commodities. A farmer earns only 25% of the price quoted by a retailer in domestic markets. The remaining 75% is shared by middlemen present at various levels, including market committees. This chain leads to unnatural inflation and also hampers profitability of the producers, he said.
Patil and the other farmers also questioned the requirement of various types of cess or fees that farmers have to pay at marketing committees.
Source : Times of India
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