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APMCs failing to implement Pledge Fin Scheme face dissolution: Maharashtra minister

Maharashtra cooperation and marketing minister Subhash Deshmukh on Wednesday threatened to dissolve the administrative boards of APMCs that do not implement the state’s Agriculture Pledge Finance Scheme effectively.

In a bid to enable farmers get the right prices for their produce, the Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board (MSAMB) currently runs an Agriculture Pledge Finance Scheme. (Representational photo: Reuters)
In a bid to enable farmers get the right prices for their produce, the Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board (MSAMB) currently runs an Agriculture Pledge Finance Scheme. (Representational photo: Reuters)

Maharashtra cooperation and marketing minister Subhash Deshmukh on Wednesday threatened to dissolve the administrative boards of Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) that do not implement the state’s Agriculture Pledge Finance Scheme effectively.

In a bid to enable farmers get the right prices for their produce, the Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board (MSAMB) currently runs an Agriculture Pledge Finance Scheme.

In case farmers are unhappy with prevailing market rates, they can opt to store their produce at warehouses approved by the marketing board and obtain pledge finance against his produce and also sell his produce when market rates are favourable.

The Kharif season of 2018-19 has seen the arrivals of Urad and Moong. The state government has already sent a proposal to the Centre to establish purchase centres for procurement. In 2017-18, around 138 market committees of the state implemented MSP scheme and space for about 2.15 lakh quintals of agri produce.

The minister said that farmers should immediately contact concerned market committee to store their commodities in case of need. He also asked farmers not to sell their produce at lower rates than MSP.
The minister also urged the farmers to report market committees that have not implemented the pledge loan schemes to the district sub-registrars.

Wholesale markets in Maharashtra have been through a major upheaval with traders refusing to participate in auctions. This was to protest against the state cabinet’s decision to penalize traders for below-MSP procurement with a jail term as well as a fine of R50,000.

Trade in almost all the wholesale markets in Maharashtra were suspended for more than 10 days. Trading was resumed after market committees assured traders that non FAQ produce would be certified by a grading officer, the secretary of the APMC in the presence of the farmer. Farmers were also given the option of storing their produce under the pledge finance scheme. Significantly, this year, a record 5,092 farmers took advantage of the Agricultural Pledge Finance Scheme implemented by the Maharashtra State Agriculture Board (MSAMB).

For the season 2018-19, MSAMB has granted pledge finance for over 2 lakh quintals in 138 Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) across the state. This season has seen bumper production in most agricultural commodities as a result of which farmers were able to benefit from the scheme.

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First published on: 20-09-2018 at 02:08 IST
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