Despite Konkan Divisional Commissioner Shivaji Daund and APMC secretary Anil Chavan confirming on Tuesday that the grain market would open with the vegetable and onion-potato market, the traders refused to do so.
“False news about the Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department seizing grains worth ₹2 crore, which were being sold in black, from the cold storage in APMC has been doing the rounds since Monday. But there was in fact a technical error,” Nilesh Veera, grain market director, said.
According to him, some packets just did not have the MRP printed on them, and were seized. Additionally, the incident occurred at a shop in Pawane, not APMC market, but authorities circulated messages saying otherwise. “On one hand, the government wants us to operate and on the other, false allegations are being made against us,” Mr. Veera said.
On Wednesday, a meeting was held between Mathadi leader Narendra Patil and APMC officials, after which it was decided that the issues of the grain market traders would be solved.
On April 11, the last stock of food grains had arrived in grain market. “We will be unloading the stock that we have received on Thursday and get it distributed so that there is no shortage in the city. By Saturday we will come up with a strategy on how to start the grain market. We will be going slow,” Mr. Veera said.
On Wednesday, the vegetable market received 13 trucks and 180 tempos while onion potato market received 94 trucks and 56 tempos.