Veggie supplies in Delhi might be hit due to mandi strike

The Delhi High Court had last year ordered that the six per cent commission that agents charge from sellers (farmers) should henceforth be charged from wholesalers and retailers who purchase from the

Fruits and vegetable supplies in Delhi and its adjoining areas might get affected from Monday as traders in Azadpur (Delhi’s biggest wholesale market) are going on a strike in protest against the change in pattern of collecting commission.

Experts said that prices of fruits and vegetables could also go up if supplies fall drastically.  The Delhi High Court had last year ordered the six per cent commission that agents charge from sellers (farmers) should henceforth be charged from wholesalers and retailers who purchase from the mandis, according to the rules of the Azadpur Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act.

The APMC by a notice issued on January 1, 2014 directed all the buyers, sellers and commission agents to strictly adhere to the court order.

However, the agents who act as middlemen between the farmers and sellers allege that if the commission is charged from the wholesalers, the retail price of fruits and vegetables will suddenly increase in the national capital.

Farmers on the other hand allege the middlemen have been fleecing them all this while in the name of commission.

Azadpur has around 3,800 commission agents, who plan to protest at the mandi’s gate and prevent work from happening. Officials said work is also expected to get hampered in Okhla and other mandis in the capital.

Reports said the Delhi government has directed the commission agents to approach the Supreme Court against the order.

The Delhi government has threatened to cancel the licences of commission agents if they disrupt work.

Former Azadpur APMC chairman Rajendra Sharma said potato, onion and garlic traders are not in favour of the strike.

Meanwhile, talking to Business Standard, Brahm Yadav, former chairman of Azadpur Mandi, said the court order and subsequent notice sent by the APMC are not wrong and in consonance with the Azadpur mandi rules, but the practice of charging commission from farmers have been going on for long.

Azadpur mandi annually trades over six million tonnes of fruits and vegetables.