Decision by department evokes both pro and anti protests by farmers

The State government has cancelled the licence issued to Jai Kisan market, a private farm produce market in Belagavi, on the charge of violating rules and failing to safeguard the interests of farmers.

This decision, however, has evoked pro- and anti- protests by some groups of farmers.

The Department of Agricultural Marketing issued an order cancelling the licence to Jai Kisan Wholesale Vegetable Merchant Association that runs the market.

The APMC Director has issued a detailed order citing violations of 10 rules and regulations of the department and some regulations of the Revenue Department.

The association applied and obtained licence for the private market in 2021.

The violations listed include seeking and obtaining commission from farmers, not maintaining records of inputs and outputs of farm produce in the market, violation of weights and measure rules, not installing electronic weighing scales, lack of transparency in the bidding process, sale and purchase on individual agreements, not installing rate boards, sale of vegetables and other produce as pre-determined rates and not by open auction, violating rules relating to Kannada implementation, no cold storage, not setting up branches of nationalised or scheduled banks, lack of facilities in farmers hotels, the practice of farm gate pricing and no onsite laboratory for testing produce.

The cancellation order is based on provisions of the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Market Business (Regulation and Development) Act 1966.

This follows an inquiry by a senior officer into the violations. The officer was appointed after a complaint by Bharatiya Krishik Samaj president Sidagouda Modagi stating that the private market was harassing and exploiting farmers.

The association also faces allegations of setting up the market on land that was converted by submitting fudged documents to the Belagavi Urban Development Authority. Following an inquiry, the urban development authority withdrew the agriculture land conversion order.

On Wednesday, some farmers took out a protest rally to the Deputy Commissioner's office demanding that the private farm market be allowed to function and urged the State government to review the order cancelling the licence.

On Tuesday, Krishik Samaj members and other farmers staged a day-long protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office demanding the immediate closure of the market. One farmer who climbed up a tree during the protest, fell down and suffered minor injuries.

On Wednesday, officers of the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee said that the wholesale market in the APMC Yard witnessed brisk business in grain and vegetables.

"The APMC market suffered after the private market opened four years ago," a senior officer said.

Licence of private farm produce market in Belagavi cancelled