Soon, farm fresh vegetables at doorsteps for Delhiites

According to a new law, the government has permitted farmers to sell their produce directly to the consumer.  In order to procure fresh vegetables directly from farmers, the Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) have to establish contacts with them. 

‘As per the new rule, RWAs or any association can contact farmers to receive fruits and vegetables directly in their compound. The farmers would be able to reach consumers directly. The consumers will get cheap and fresh vegetables and the farmer will also get higher price for their produce,’ said SS 

Yadav, principal secretary cum commissioner, department of food and civil supplies.

Earlier, it was mandatory for farmers or traders to sell their produce through auction in the Agriculture Produce Market Committee or any of its sub-yards to whole-sellers. The auctioning of the fruits or vegetables is done through an empanelled agent who is authorised to get six percent of the auctioned amount as fee. 

In addition to that the farmer has to pay one percent fee of the auctioning amount to the concerned APMC as fee. Besides this,  the farmers also have to pay ‘donation’ to the agents of APMC. The amendment in the APMC Act for the concerned law has already been notified in the gazette. 

‘The amendments to free the market will increase the competition which would directly benefit the consumers. RWAs however, can’t replace the food chain markets but the government has surely opened the door for them to work in crisis, if they desired so and have resources,’ said Sanjay Kaul, chairman of URJA, a federation of over 2,000 RWAs in the city. ‘The farmers can also reach out to RWAs for bulk orders on regular intervals for mutual benefit,’ he added.