The Hindu : Karnataka News : Opposition to changes in APMC Act growing

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Opposition to changes in APMC Act growing

Special Correspondent

Govt. accused of encouraging contract farming to please multinationals

GRAIN GUARDIANS: The policemen on rounds at the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Yard, Yeshwathpur, in Bangalore on Tuesday when traders observed a `bandh'. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: It was not the traders alone who protested on Tuesday against the proposal to amend the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act of 2003. Farmers, loaders and employees of traders joined the protest under the banners of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS), the Karnataka State Hamali Workers Federation and the Bangalore Agricultural Produces Marketing Committee (APMC) Yard Writers' Association. They took out a procession and staged a protest in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Bangalore Urban District.

Talks proposed

G.C. Bayya Reddy, KPRS general secretary, said the amendment to the APMC Act will spell doom for the traders, farmers, consumers and people working in APMC yards.

It will lead to an undesirable competition between the multinational companies and Indian traders.

The Government wanted to amend the Act to encourage contract farming with the involvement of multinational firms. He said the Government should withdraw the 2003 Act and invite farmers for talks on providing infrastructure in APMC yards.

Traders and APMC workers took out a procession from Mysore Bank Circle to the office of the Deputy Commissioner. The major issue raised by traders was with regard to the security of employees of the APMCs and the relief the Government intends to provide if the Act were to be passed.

The KPRS leader said even if the Act is amended, farmers will not get a better price for their produce. He said the former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, who knew the problems of farmers, should direct the coalition government to drop its plan to amend the Act. The traders said they would provide an unimpeded entry of multinational corporations in agricultural marketing, both retail and wholesale. The Minister for Agriculture Marketing, Prakash B. Hukkeri, has gone on record stating that the Government is ready for talks with the traders, farmers and leaders of various parties on the matter.

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