Traders in the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) markets at Vashi showed their opposition to the Centre's decision to allow 51 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail by calling a bandh on September 20, 2012, incurring a loss of Rs 300 crore.
The combined annual turnover of the five APMC markets in the Navi Mumbai township is estimated to be about Rs 10,000 crore. About 2,500 trucks enter the market daily, but due to the bandh, no truck entered.
Sanjay Pansare, director, APMC fruit market, said, “We (traders) fully supported the bandh and the market has observed a 100 per cent bandh. This bandh was called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the main opposition party at the Centre and in the state.”
“However, regional outfits like the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Shiv Sena did not participate due to Ganeshotsav, and therefore the bandh was not so effective in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai,” he said.
Pansare added, “We (traders from the market) have joined hands to oppose FDI in multi-brand retail. Forgetting the differences among the traders, we will come under one umbrella and will not allow FDI in retail at any cost.”
Kirti Rana, director, APMC spices market, said, “The traders' community of APMC market is not at all happy with the government's decision to allowing 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail. In order to hide its scams, the government has come up with the idea of FDI in retail.”
“This bandh was called by the opposition to oppose the government's unfortunate move to allow FDI in retail and inflation. It was merely for political mileage. We (the traders' community) will call a bandh on September 25 to voice our concerns. After Ganpati Visarjan we will take many steps like protest, morcha, fast unto death so that the government seriously thinks about rolling back their decision to permit 51 per cent FDI in retail,” informed Rana.
