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Market Yard reopens with separate time slots for fruits and veggies
Vegetable business will be done between 3 am and 8 am, followed by fruit wholesalers between 8 am and 10 am; and 10 am to 12 pm specifically for onions, potatoes and garlic on Monday
The Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC)-run Market Yard in Gultekdi will open on Monday, after three days of shutdown, with specific time frames for fruits, vegetables and other fresh produce to be sold, said officials.
Vilas Bhujbal, president, Chhatrapati Shivaji Market Yard traders’ and agents’ association, Pune, said, “We have bifurcated the timings for the wholesale market for tomorrow (Monday) so the vegetable business will be done between 3 am and 8 am, followed by fruit wholesalers between 8 am and 10 am; and 10 am to 12 pm specifically for onions, potatoes and garlic.
“We have already declared the market open and the order for imposition of Section 144 was announced later so we cannot stop the farmers from coming here. These are essential commodities and there is already a shortage in the market as the Market Yard was shut for three days,” said Bhujbal.
Bhujbal said, “The market will be open only for wholesale business. Retail buyers should buy their daily vegetables in their respective areas. Those who are not wholesalers will be stopped at the gate. Retail shops within will be closed for public.”
“Since the market will open after three days, we are expecting many farmers to come with a huge amount of product, so that it is sold before getting spoiled,” he added.
Babasaheb Bibawe, who supervises the vegetable market, said, “We are not sure of how many trucks will roll in as some farmers have not been able to work due to janta curfew. Buyers also might not turn up in large numbers given the fact that many of the hotels, restaurants, mess are closed, who are usually bulk buyers.”
“The produce that arrives in the market will probably be sold at a low price as the market was closed for three days. Rates of potato and onion will be around Rs16 per kg and tomatoes will be between Rs 6 and Rs 8 per kg,” said Bibawe
Retailers might sell it at a higher rate given the fact that the market was closed for three days, he added.
