Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 23: Listing some suggestions to the Government, Federation of All India Vyapar Mandal (FAIVM) – national apex body of traders and retailers, has supported new Agriculture Bill and said that improvement in financial condition of farmers is bound to increase business of the traders, as farmers are biggest buyers in market.
The Federation suggested the Prime Minister to completely abolish Mandi Tax in all States, selling price cap for food grains on the line of drugs, income tax on farmers to a certain limit, arbitration system in case of any dispute , only need based export-import of agriculture commodity, payment of sugar cane be done in three days as envisaged for other agri commodities.
In a statement, Sanjay Bansal-J&K President of the Federation, said Mandis operated under APMC levy taxes, commission and cess, which vary from State to State. “As per amendment by Agriculture Produce Commerce and Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, any outsider traders can buy agriculture produce from farmers directly and they need not to pay any mandi tax cess, etc, therefore for a level playing field we demand that APMC operated mandis be exempted from levy of mandi tax and cess,” he explained and added that it would make mandi traders competitive as their outside peers.
Pointing out that stock limit on food grains and agri produce has been lifted under the new Bill, Mr Bansal said that the large corporators entering into retail will naturally try to establish their dominance over agricultural produce due to their wealth and resources. In such a situation, he added, the small businessmen will be deprived of buying agriculture produce and the present commercial marketing system is likely to be severely hit.
He demanded that the Government should make necessary rules to protect the interest of small traders and there should be some mechanism for protection of money advanced to farmers by the traders.
“Just to control prices of essential items, as Government does for life saving drugs, some formula be devised for fixing of maximum retail price of basic feeds to ensure sustenance of 130 crore India,” Bansal demanded and also suggested that payment of crop to the farmers against buying of agriculture produces should be made only through banking medium.
V K Bansal, national general secretary of the Federation, stressed that there was need of a regular dialogue between government and traders to come out of these challenges.
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