The Belagavi Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) wholesale vegetable market in India resumed operations on Wednesday after the State Marketing Department cancelled the trading licence of Jai Kisan Private Wholesale Vegetable Market.
The APMC yard had been closed since January 3, 2022, and reopened after nearly three years and eight months. From early morning, vegetables and agricultural produce arrived from Belagavi taluka, nearby districts, and neighbouring regions. Trucks, tempos, and tractors entered the market, with APMC officials and farmer leaders present. Officials said around 75–80% of farmers participated in trading on the first day.
Retail vendors had already resumed limited sales on Tuesday, but wholesale trading restarted on Wednesday, drawing large numbers of farmers, traders, and buyers. Produce was dispatched to Goa, reinstating Belagavi's role as a supplier to the state. Traders purchased produce at market prices, and farmers said they were satisfied with the facilities.
The APMC yard now includes clean drinking water, toilets, two canteens, a rest area for farmers, parking, and wide premises to reduce congestion. Shops are divided across four blocks, with about 100 stalls operational and another 150 awaiting allotment. An APMC official said the reopening had received an "overwhelming response" and that efforts would continue to bring back all farmers and traders.
Farmers and activists welcomed the reopening. "We had to fight in court and resist administrative hurdles to restore the APMC market. Now that it has restarted, our struggle has paid off," said activists Sujeet Mulgund and Rajeev Topannavar. Traders said that some former participants of Jai Kisan Market are also considering a shift to the APMC yard.
At the same time, tension has arisen over demands to restart Jai Kisan Market. Karnataka's Director of Agricultural Marketing cancelled the Jai Kisan licence on September 15. Following the order, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammed Roshan directed wholesalers to stop trading within 24 hours, by 6 pm on Tuesday. Farmers supporting the Jai Kisan Wholesale Vegetable Market protested in the Deputy Commissioner's compound.
DC Mohammed Roshan stated that authorities are bound by law. "An effort would be initiated to strike a balance," he said.
With trading resumed, the Belagavi APMC wholesale vegetable market is operating again as an agricultural hub in the region.
Source: The Goan