On Tuesday morning, Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar reached Bengaluru’s Yeshwanthpur Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) yard at about 6 a.m. to meet growers, traders and labourers and gauge the challenges they face.
The leader walked through the potato, onion, ginger and garlic sections, questioning participants about crop volumes, profit margins, commission structures, transport costs and deductions imposed by the market authority. He noted the arrival of vehicles from outside the city and inspected the yard’s facilities, including the restrooms.
During the visit, Shivakumar sat on stacks of onion sacks, shared a simple breakfast with market workers and even joined them for coffee. He listened to women labourers, intermediaries and traders, asking about payment delays, police extortion, cultivation expenses and the accuracy of weighing scales.
Potato growers explained that commissions varied: some transactions attracted a 2% fee, while others involved a flat rate of 60 paise per kilogram. Farmers from Kalaburagi, Bidar and Vijayapura highlighted that traders in those regions charge Rs 8‑10 per quintal, whereas Yeshwanthpur levies no commission, prompting them to bring produce to Bengaluru.
Onion cultivators reported a sharp decline in yields due to inadequate rainfall. Typical harvests of 150‑200 sacks per acre fell to roughly 50 sacks this season, and excessive rains risk rotting the bulbs. Several farmers said transport costs sometimes exceed market returns.
One 60‑year‑old worker expressed that he had never sat so closely with a chief minister, describing the interaction as informal and reassuring. The chief minister also received complaints about crop‑insurance payouts; a farmer from Ittanahalli village in Jevargi taluk mentioned that 93 growers paid premiums through a self‑help society but faced difficulties receiving claims.
Shivakumar concluded the early‑hour engagement by assuring that the grievances shared would be examined and appropriate measures taken to improve market conditions for Karnataka’s agricultural community.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Sahil Online