Maharashtra Seeks High-Level Centre–State Meeting on Farmer Welfare and APMC Modernisation
Marketing Minister Jaykumar Rawal Urges Union Agriculture Minister for Central Scheme to Upgrade Agri Markets
New Delhi, Aug 9: Maharashtra’s Marketing and Protocol Minister Jaykumar Rawal has called for an urgent high-level meeting of Centre–State ministers to discuss farmer remuneration, post-harvest infrastructure, and the modernisation of Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs).
The demand was placed before Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during Rawal’s meeting with him in Delhi on Friday.
Gaps in Market Mechanism Affecting Farmers
Rawal pointed out that despite significant increases in the production of onions, pulses, oranges, pomegranates, bananas, and flowers across Maharashtra and India, farmers are often deprived of fair prices due to inadequate marketing systems and lack of scientific storage. Post-harvest losses, he noted, impact both farm incomes and the nation’s agricultural efficiency.
Proposals for Central Intervention
The minister urged the Centre to frame a dedicated scheme that would:
- Provide special support mechanisms for ensuring fair crop prices.
- Establish decentralised scientific storage and cold chain facilities.
- Introduce digital inventory management and efficient logistics systems.
- Integrate market information systems for real-time price and production trend forecasts to help farmers and policymakers make data-driven decisions.
Blueprint for APMC Modernisation
Rawal’s proposal for modern APMC infrastructure includes:
- Covered auction platforms
- Grading and weighing facilities
- Cold storage and dry warehouses
- Packaging centres and waste management systems
- Utilisation of unused APMC land for small agro-processing units and farmer-centric amenities
- Subsidies and capacity building for linking APMCs to digital platforms such as e-NAM
Rawal stressed that such a meeting could produce a clear roadmap to safeguard farmer interests, ensure sustainable agricultural practices, and strengthen India’s position in global agri-markets