MAPUSA
The State government has admitted that local vendors running horticultural outlets face losses and hardship due to business carried out by outside vendors, but it has no plans to introduce new regulations to remove such illegal outside vendors.
The government also said that authorities will be requested to enforce the existing regulations “if any”, to remove such illegal outside vendors.
Agriculture Minister, Ravi Naik said sale of vegetables from outside the State by unorganised/unregistered vendors on the roadside has put heavy pressure on the earning prospects of local vendors running outlets through the Goa State Horticultural Corporation Ltd (GSHCL).
“The GSHCL vendors have to sell their vegetables at fixed price, however the private hawkers sell the same items at much lower cost especially during closing evening hours which the local vendors cannot afford to do,” Naik said.
He said many local vendors have also reported that private vehicles loaded with vegetables especially onion and potato come from Maharashtra and Karnataka and sell these items at about 30 per cent concessional rate thus affecting their business.
“Due to unforeseen sale of vegetables by outsiders in the local area apart from designated market places in village and municipal areas, the GSHCL vendors have to bear spoilage of their already purchased stock of vegetables as there are no buyers for it,” he said.
However, Naik informed that no complaints have so far been received from local vendors against any such specific outside vendors.
“The government does not have any plan to introduce new regulations to remove outside vendors but local authorities will be requested to enforce existing regulations if any to eject such vendors,” he said.
Last month the issue of outside vendors cropped up during a meeting of local vendors organised by GSHCL in North and South Goa.
