DC warns against collection of commission

Licences of businessmen will be cancelled if they harass mango growers, he says

The APMC market should be equipped with electronic weigh machines before the sale of mangoes commences for the season, said Deputy Commissioner Manoj Kumar Meena.

“Mango growers should be paid what is due to them the day of purchase itself. No commission may be collected from them, and the APMC president and secretaries should pay attention to the matter,” he said.

He warned that the licences of businessmen would be cancelled if they demanded commission from growers. 

The Deputy Commissioner warned  addressed a meeting with APMC president and officers, mango growers and sellers at his office in the City on Saturday.

“APMCs should strive to ensure farmers do not incur losses or face inconvenience of any kind. Instead of claiming helplessness, they should use the powers given by the law to function diligently,” he told the officers.

Grade crop

When Meena asked the Srinivaspur APMC secretary the quality of grading of mangoes that are sold at the APMC market, the secretary said the market had no such facility at all.

Upset by the information, the DC asked the president and other officers, “What is the APMC doing then?”

M Srinivasan, the president of Srinivaspur APMC, replied that farmers themselves oppose grading, saying it causes them heavy loss.

“Weighing tonnes of mangoes that the growers supply to the market at one go is an incorrect method. The prices of the mangoes can be fixed only after the fruits have been separated by grading,” he told the officers and added, “Implement the grading system before the market season starts.”

The officers had no answer when Meena asked about the method of price regulation.

Responding to the silence, the Deputy Commissioner said, “Vendors should not be allowed to fix the rates before hand and cause losses for farmers. Also, if such a situation ever arises, the APMC should intervene and purchase the mangoes at a minimum rate. The growers should be informed of the rates. Only then can we prevent the vendors from ruling the market.”

Receipts

“They should give receipts for the mangoes they purchase from the growers. The receipts should mention the weight of the mangoes and the price. No parallel means of purchasing is allowed,” he told the businessmen.

“The transport, separation, etcetera of the mangoes is the sole responsibility of vendors. The onus should not be put on growers nor should they be charged for the work,” he explained.

“Pre-purchase transport, loading, unloading expenditure will be borne by growers,” he added.

Pointing to the businessmen at the meeting the Deputy Commissioner said they are all rich, powerful men, and the farmers would have taken loans from them. “It is therefore natural that the farmers listen to anything the businessmen order,” he rued. “If the APMC lends money to the farmers as and when they require, the problem of forced dependence will not arise,” he said.

Senior lawyer M Shivaprakash, who has filed a public interest litigation at the High Court in favour of mango growers requested the APMC to stand by the growers as they are mostly ignorant about mango rates and market conditions.

M Srinivasan promised better facilities at the market, including setting up of electronic weighers and even organising meetings of growers and businessmen.

Ataullah Khan and Mujavid Ansari, leaders of the businessmen’s union, requested the Deputy Commissioner to take the initiative of chairing such meetings as they felt it would improve the situation in Srinivaspur.

G K Venkatashiva Reddy, Srinivaspur legislator, Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer P Rajendra Cholan, Agricultural Marketing Department assistant director Shivanna, Mango Growers’ Association president Chandra Reddy and senior lawyer Muniswamy Gowda were present at the meeting.