NEW DELHI: From now, farmers , private organizations and government agencies will be allowed to set up wholesale fruit and vegetable markets anywhere in the city. However, this has been allowed on the condition that they will have to be outside the confines of the three established agriculture produce market committees at Azadpur, Keshopur and Shahdara.

The notification issued on Tuesday, expected to profit farmers and bring down prices by doing away with compulsory commission and market fees, will in its present form benefit primarily large players. With prohibitive land rates in the capital and shortage of space, critics say that small farmers will have to continue to sell through an agency and there will not be any interface between the grower and the consumer. Farmers, who have been paying a 6% commission and 1% market fee in the existing wholesale markets, will only have the advantage of taking their goods to the seller who will offer them the best price for their goods.

The agriculture produce marketing committee (APMC), including commission agents, has reacted sharply against the order and threatened protests if the notification is not reversed. AMPC member Mahinder Sanpal alleged that the government was trying to bring in private players and APMC was likely to approach the court for a stay on the notification. "We will convene a meeting on Wednesday and decide future course of action," he said.

The notification has been implemented under Section 3 of Delhi Agriculture Produce Marketing (regulation) Act, 1998. In Delhi, 118 commodities are notified under the Act which states that no person is allowed to set up wholesale fruit and vegetable markets outside the existing wholesale markets. The new notification overturns the clause

. Sale and purchase of fruit and vegetables will now be regulated only in the existing markets and not in the rest of the city. There is so far no provision in the Act that regulates private wholesale markets. Sources said that laws pertaining to them were being framed by the Centre.

"By not paying commission and fees, a farmer will save up on 7% of the cost, a benefit that will get transferred to the end consumer. An organization like Safal, which for every kg of fruit and vegetable it has been purchasing directly from the farmer, has been paying 1% market fee to the APMC. This fee will no longer apply if the transaction takes place outside the mandis since anyone is now free to set up wholesale markets. Since there will be no bar on establishment of new markets by other players like co-operative societies, Kisan mandis, Nafed, Mother Dairy, Safal, etc, there will be healthy competition in the market," said VP Rao, vice chairman of Delhi Agriculture Marketing Board.

