The Delhi Agricultural Marketing Board has decided that from now on instead of farmers, traders and wholesale buyers will have to pay commission to Agricultural Marketing Committee on the purchases made.
The earlier farmers had to pay the commission at the rate of six per cent.
The decision follows a Delhi High Court order passed on 1 October, 2013, stating that the commission shall be charged from the buyers, not from the farmers.
Delhi development minister Girish Soni said, ‘The government is implementing the high court orders with immediate effect and farmers will get a major relief through the move.’
Section 49 (3) of the Azadpur Agricultural Produce Market Committee (Market of National Importance), (Amendment) By-Laws, 2010, laid that commission at the existing rate of six per cent shall be charged from the farmers/sellers and not from the buyers. But this rule was struck down by the Delhi High Court.
‘It is expected that now prices of agricultural products would increase once the move is implemented,’ said an Azadpur Mandi trader.