Fruit, veggies prices may rise as APMC traders go on indefinite strike

Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) traders are on indefinite strike from Tuesday to protest against e-trading. This has caused concerns about a shortage in supply of fruits and vegetables in the city and suburbs. If the strike goes on for more than three days, the prices could skyrocket.

According to APMC officers, traders had consistently opposed the implementation of e-trading, but the government pursued it. Traders have therefore decided to call the indefinite strike against this decision.

Sanjay Pansare, head of the fruit department at APMC said, "Traders had demanded that e-trading not be implemented, because so far they were paying farmers directly. The volume of trade and traders will suffer because of e-trading. Farmers will stop coming to APMC because of the direct trade between them and people. It will also have an adverse impact on labourers, transporters and other APMC staff."

Cabinet minister Prakash Mehta said, "Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and we discussed that the passing of the e-trading Bill was a mistake. Fadnavis agreed that the upper house should not pass the Bill. We will stall it in the Winter Session in the joint committee of the legislature before it goes to the upper house."

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