Mumbai: Usually closed on Sundays, the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) at Vashi was flooded with trucks and tempos bearing vegetables, thanks to the confusion over the status of the farmers’ agitation.
After a section of farmer leaders said on Saturday that the strike had been called off, some farmers sent their produce to the APMC, which reached on Sunday morning. Another reason, said farmers, was the fear that their produce would go waste as a State-wide bandh has been called on Monday.
On Sundays, APMCs see only around 120 trucks arriving, and no business is conducted. The ongoing agitation by farmers, however, ensured that most traders chose to work on Sunday and received nearly 313 trucks of vegetables. Of these, around 180 were from the State, and close to 302 trucks left the market after unloading.
Though wholesale prices were not fixed on Sunday, an increase in supply sent retail prices down, much to the relief of the common man. The fruit, grain market and onion-potato market remained closed. In all, 259 vehicles arrived at the fruit market, 29 at the grain market, one truck each of onion and garlic and 12 bearing potatoes.
Kailash Tajne, president, APMC vegetable market, said, “Most traders preferred to work on Sunday as the supply has been poor in the last three days. Officially, the market was shut, so wholesale rates were not decided. Coriander, which was being sold at ₹100 per bunch has now come down to ₹60. Due to the bandh called on Monday, vehicles will not set out for Mumbai, so there is likely to be a shortage of vegetables and a consequent rise in prices on Tuesday.”.
Trucks bearing produce came in from Manchar, Junnar, Khed, Satara and Sangli on Sunday. “The Naran belt in Pune district, Nashik and Ahmednagar did not send produce, so there were no beetroot and long beans today,” a trader at APMC Vashi said. Milk dealers from Warna and Gokul said supply was normal.
