VEG CRISIS
*Authorities to set up wholesale markets at 4 locations on outskirts of
Belagavi to avoid rush
*Decision likely to cause confusion among farmers
*Farmers still don’t know the exact locations of the new wholesale
markets
*Supply of vegetables has also decreased due to the lockdown
restrictions
THE GOAN NETWORK
BELAGAVI
Vegetable supplies to Goa are expected to be affected as authorities
have decided to close the APMC wholesale vegetable market from
Monday and set up wholesale markets at four separate locations on the
outskirts of Belagavi city to avoid a rush.
Belagavi is also on high alert after the emergence of three Covid-19
affected cases which came to light late Friday and heavy restrictions
imposed by the district administration are likely to further affect the
supplies of vegetables to Goa.
It may be recalled that the district administration was facing huge
difficulties in implementing the social distance in the APMC wholesale
vegetable market due to the heavy rush of farmers, wholesalers and
retailers.
Action by police was also resulting in clashes leading to safety concerns.
Caught between the supply of necessary commodities aspect and the
restrictions of maintenance of social distance restrictions, the
authorities were in a quandary.
Vegetable supplies were also getting affected due to lockdown
restrictions as it was becoming extremely difficult for the farmers to
bring their yield to APMC.
After a meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner Dr S B Bomanhalli in
presence of representatives of wholesale vegetable suppliers, farmers
and suppliers to Goa at the APMC late Friday, authorities decided to
divide the wholesale vegetable market at four separate locations
towards north, south and west on the outskirts of Belagavi city.
However, confusion prevails among wholesalers as the decision is
expected to cause chaos among farmers, wholesalers and retailers
alike.
According to Ramakant Konduskar, a wholesaler to the Horticulture
Corporation of Goa, the decision is going to cause confusion.
“We have a set of farmers who supply to us and we would have to
contact them and give them a particular location where they could
bring their produce,” Konduskar said.
“The supply of vegetables has also decreased due to the lockdown
restrictions,” Konduskar said, adding that no order was received from
Goa on Saturday.
