REST: A farmer takes a nap on a cotton bale at the APMC yard, in Hubli on Friday as the APMC traders across the State observe bandh.

BELGAUM: Trading activities came to a halt at the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee Yard in the city causing inconvenience to the growers. Traders pulled down their shutters to join the statewide agitation to oppose the State Government's move to amend the APMC Act on Friday.

Several traders under the banner of Belgaum Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI) staged a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office. BCCI president Vikas R. Kalghatagi led the protest.

MOU signed

According to BCCI, the anxiety of the farming community and foodgrain traders had come true when a Memorandum of Understanding between Bharathi Enterprises of India and Wal-Mart of the USA was signed.

The MoU opened entry of Foreign Direct Investment in the retail trade. Unfortunately, the MoU was signed ignoring the fact that entry of Wal-Mart in retail trade in other countries had ruined native traders and the farming community owing to monopolisation of trading activities in the foodgrain sector. Ironically, growing levels of poverty among farmers was one of its contributions.

The BCCI said the Government of India had advised the state governments to amend the Act only to suit the requirements of Wal-Mart. The Karnataka Government had already directed officials to issue an ordinance amending the Act soon. Mr. Kalghatagi alleged that the State Government had taken steps to amend the Act without consulting the farming community or the traders' organisations, which would be directly affected by the amendment. He submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Food & Civil Supplies.

While strongly opposing the proposed amendment, he said the BCCI had urged the Government to review its decision to transfer the national market to foreign companies in view of the latter making quick inroads into domestic retail markets.

No business

Correspondent from Hubli reports

Agriculutre Produce Market Committees (APMC) across the districts of Dharwad, Haveri and Gadag didn't do any business on Friday as the merchants and brokers kept their shops closed as part of the APMC bandh.

The farming community and the porters had expressed their support for the APMC bandh. Even the merchants and brokers operating outside the APMC yards in various towns and cities closed the shutters of their shops in response to the bandh.

In Hubli and Dharwad most of the shops of merchants in the busy market areas were closed.

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