From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, May 14: In a major initiative to help the farmers, the Congress government of Karnataka headed by Chief Minsiter Siddaramaiah to mark its first anniversary in office has decided to launch online trading in various commodities through the Rashtriya e-Market Services (ReMS) in 35 major Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) markets in the current financial year (2014-15).
So far, Karnataka has launched the online trading in four markets of Tiptur, Arasikere, Tumkur and Chamarajangar.
Agricultural Marketing Minister Shamanur Shivashankarappa, who addressed the media in Bangalore on Wednesday, said the Unified Market Platform (UMP) through the ReMS would be implemented in 10 markets of Gulbarga, Yadgir, Sedam, Gadag, Bidar, Bijapur, Chitradurga, Challakere, Tumkur and Belgaum on June 10.
All the commodities in these APMC markets would be traded online, he said.
The State Government has implemented online trading to develop a barrier-free market for the farmers.
Now, wholesale dealers and major traders in different parts of the state have been participating in online trading and quoting competitive prices.
The new system has eliminated the role of middlemen and unfair trade practices, Shivashankarappa said.
Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan governments have been studying the Karnataka’s model of UMP.
''We have already held two rounds of talks with Odisha Government officials,” he said.
The Minister said the market cess for fruits and vegetables has been abolished in APMC markets from April 2014.
The collection of the market cess in 2013-14 was Rs 30 crore.
However, the department has decided to collect user charges from traders and farmers if they utilise cold storage and godown facilities in APMC markets, he said.
The market fee collected from APMCs increased from Rs 334 crore in 201-13 to Rs 386.5 crore, an increase of 15 per cent, in 2013-14.
A decision was taken to hold commodity-wise melas in different districts to fetch better prices for commodities.