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Journalism of Courage
Onion traders of Nashik have decided to extend their strike indefinitely as none of their demands are being met by the central government. At a meeting held in Pimpalgaon in Niphad taluka of Nashik on Saturday, the traders decided to boycott auctions in the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMC) indefinitely.
Traders and commission agents of the 15 wholesale markets in Nashik have boycotted trade since September 21. They have demanded withdrawal of the 40 percent export duty as well as a single cess for operations in the mandis. Traders have also demanded government agencies like the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation and the National Cooperative Consumers Federation not to offload their ware in the wholesale markets where traders from Nashik sell their onions.
Over the last one week repeated meetings have happened between the traders, market representatives and both the state and central government. However even intervention by central minister Piyush Goyal failed to resolve the impasse which saw traders boycotting the trade in the markets.
Khandubhau Deore, head of the traders and commission agents representative of Nashik had said the government had refused to accede to their demands which had resulted in the traders refusing to participate in the trade.
At present only the market in Vinchur, – a submarket of the Lasalgaon’s wholesale market in Niphad taluka of Nashik is operational. Most traders said undue pressure on the traders there had led to the market being operational.
During the meeting traders and commission agents were asked about their opinion on restarting the auctions. “The traders have boycotted trade for more than 10 days yet the government has not shown any seriousness towards our demands. In such a scenario it does not make any sense to participate in the auction,” said a trader who attended the meeting. Of the many demands, rescinding of the export duty and creation of separate sales channels for the government are priority.
“When the government decides to sell in the wholesale markets we traders are not able to compete as the government agencies sell at a loss which is compensated by the government. As traders we can’t afford this,” pointed out the traders.
The market committees have already started the work of taking action against traders which would mean suspension of the licences. However, the traders said they have already turned in their licences. “As onion is a deregulated commodity, we can buy from the farmers outside the market in that way we can save on the cess,” traders said. The strike in Nashik has not made much difference in retail prices as demand from North India is met by stored onions in Madhya Pradesh and other states. Also the demand in south India is met by growers in Pune, Ahmednagar and Karnataka.
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