The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : New yard for potato and onion at Yeshwanthpur

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Saturday, Mar 22, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

New yard for potato and onion at Yeshwanthpur

M. Raghuram

The yard with 58 shops will be opened on March 26

Yeshwanthpur APMC Yard is one of the largest in the State
It has earned a profit of Rs. 26 crore

BANGALORE: The Yeshwanthapur Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Yard, one of the largest in the State, will open an exclusive yard for potato and onion trading at Yeshwanthpur.

Spread over an area of 6 acres of land and constructed at a cost of Rs. 8.25 crores, the yard will be opened on March 26.

Speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of a function held at APMC yard on Friday, president of the APMC E. Krishnappa said the new yard had been laid out since Yeshwantpur was the key market in south India for onions and potatoes. “The new yard has been so planned that the truckers need not wait for more than an hour to turn around. This special yard will be of immense use in the time of crisis in supply chain of these two commodities” he said.

The yard has a total of 58 shops each having capacity to store four tonnes of commodities. Even if the entire south India goes out stock, this market can still supply potatoes and onions to the city and adjoining places, Mr. Krishnappa said.

Direct marketing

As a special gesture towards the farmers, the yard will have a “farmers’ enclosure” where the farmers can trade their produce directly into the supply chain. The APMC expects at least 300 farmers to make use of this facility on a day-to-day basis. Mr. Krishnappa said the farmers will get free access to the organised market in this yard.

Mr. Krishnappa said the amendment to the 1966 APMC Act for which notification has been issued, was nothing but arm twisting of the traders and farmers. He said the APMC can play a greater role in organising small and medium farmers in the State, but it has to have policy backing particularly directed at anti-hoarding and anti-speculative practices.

He said 90 per cent of the Indian consumers do not subscribe for packaged food commodities.

The consumer still would like to buy his commodities from the neighbourhood grocery shops and vegetable shops.

The amendment to the APMC (Regulation and Development) Act 1966, which has been notified on March 19, does not take into account the interests of various levels of market functionaries. The back market operations such as calculation of fees, cess and toll has to be rationalised on the grounds of volumes traded inside the market. The new amendment has failed to address this important aspect, he said.

Squads

The Bangalore APMC has constituted two flying squads of enforcement personnel to check on a daily basis the stock of essential commodities around the city.

]According to APMC rules, a trader cannot stock more than 40 quintals of commodities. If any trader violates this condition, he will be booked by the squad under the charges of hoarding and speculation.

The Yeshwanthpur yard has earned a profit of Rs. 26 crore and enjoys a turnover of Rs. 3500 crore a year out of 113 commodities, he added.

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