Belgaum middlemen spike up veg prices in Goa
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
BELGAUM, SEPT 17
A seasoned commission agent was reportedly caught red-handed by farmers at the Belgaum vegetable market, exposing the dubious role being played by middlemen engaged in the vegetable trade between Belgaum and Goa.
The involvement of few dubious commission agents, who are allegedly involved in hiking prices of vegetable despite lesser purchase rate and rise in supply, not only affects farmers, but also causes a sharp rise in retail prices of vegetables in Goa.
The incident took place at Belgaum vegetable market, where a seasoned commission agent was reportedly caught red-handed by farmers, while attempting to gulp a huge margin in a deal of green chillies.
The farmers from Belgaum taluka had sold green chillies at the wholesale vegetable market.
Due to the shortage, the green chillies were sold in no time. The farmers after selling their products collect their payment from the commission agents, wherein a farmer and the buyer both pay a certain percent of commission to the commission agent.
However, the agent instead charged Rs 220 per quintal but only paid Rs 160 to the farmers.
Farmers, who realized the wrongdoing of the agent immediately caught hold of him and made him pay the difference of payment he had received from the customers.
The incident has raised dubious nexus between the middlemen engaged in vegetable trade between Belgaum and Goa, which has led to a huge discrepancy in prices of vegetables between Belgaum and Goa.
The agitated farmers who are now united under the banner of different organisations have taken the commission agents to task and have taken a decision to bring the discrepancies to the notice of the district administration.
Meanwhile, questions have been raised about the profit margin maintained by the commission agents, who are engaged in supplying wholesale vegetables to Goa.
The incident has not only thrown open a nexus between the commission agents and the wholesale suppliers, but looking at the vast disparity in prices at Belgaum and Goa, questions are being raised about the authenticity of the retail prices.
This results in adding the burden to the consumers’ daily budget. However, when asked, a long time vegetable vendor from Belgaum expressed ignorance of such a nexus.
Meanwhile, the wholesale prices of some of the vegetables in Belgaum market per 10 kilos were Green Chilly (Rs 160-170), Shimla Mirch (Rs 250-300), Cabbage (Rs 60-70), Beans (Rs 160-170), Coriander (Rs 450-500 for a bunch of 100 pendhis).
