Metro decision after Sunday meeting

German retail and cash & carry chain, Metro, will take a call on its West Bengal plans day after tomorrow, said Martin Dlouhy, managing director, Metro group, after a meeting with state agriculture minister, Naren De.

He said, the meeting was constructive and the company would decide on Thursday, which meant the decision would be made ahead of the bipartite meeting between the CPI(M) and Forward Bloc on September 28, to decide the fate of Metro’s business in Kolkata.

Dlouhy would be meeting West Bengal chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, tomorrow.

According to a press release issued by Metro Cash & Carry on behalf of Dlouhy, “Our meeting with Naren De went off very well. We have discussed the issue on APMC license. We have also explained the benefits that we bring to the local small and medium businesses like kirana stores and also to the farmers. We are looking forward to our meeting with the chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee tomorrow."

Metro said the company is ready with infrastructure on Eastern Metropolitan Bypass. The operation is affected as Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) license which was withdrawn in June 2007 has not been renewed.

The APMC licence issued by the department of Agriculture Marketing Board will allow the company to directly purchase agricultural produce from farmers and sell them through its outlets.

Metro Cash and Carry has so far invested Rs 140 crore and employs 350 persons at its Kolkata store.