Traders shut down Azadpur Mandi,warn commission will push up prices

While prices of vegetables are already running high,the president of the Chamber of Azadpur Fruits and Vegetables Traders Metharam Kriplani said prices will shoot up by 15-20 per cent as a result of the ruling.

In West Delhi,peas were selling at Rs 80 per kg and tomatoes were pegged at Rs 40 per kg. At Bhogal,most vegetables were selling at more than Rs 40 per kg.

“They should either have the same law across the country or change this ruling. Delhi’s trade will be affected by this. Besides,Delhi doesn’t have many growers and most of the produce comes from other states,” Kriplani said.

Until now,the cost was being borne by the farmers who came to sell their stock at the mandi.

On June 2,the Delhi High Court agreed to term the charges borne by the sellers as illegal after the Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board approached it.

The ruling has been challenged,Kriplani said.

He added that the traders will go on an indefinite strike in a week’s time if the ruling is implemented.

Delhi Agriculture Marketing Board member Vijender Jindal maintained that farmers won’t be benefiting from the move,as the sellers will reduce the buying price to adjust the commission. The burden will ultimately have to be borne by the consumers,he said.