Odisha waves market fee on fruits, vegetables

Odisha, one of India's top vegetable producers, Thursday said it has deregulated fruit and vegetables from local market fees so that these can be available at lower prices to consumers.

"The government has exempted fruits and vegetable from the purview of the regulated market committees (RMCs) because these commodities are perishable and need to flow smoothly throughout the state," Bishnupada Sethi, cooperation department secretary, told IANS.

The RMCs were charging a market fee of one percent of the waybill value from the farmers and traders carrying the products at their check gates, he added.

The exemption of these items from the purview of the RMCs means no more the market committees can collect the levy from the farmers and traders, he said.

This will reduce the prices of fruits and vegetables, stop harassment of farmers and traders at the RMC check gates where some times they used to get stuck.

It will also reduce corruption besides helping the farmers and consumers, Sethi said.