BANKING TRADE AND COMMERCE

REGULATED MARKETS

Realising the need for establishment of properly regulated markets the Government enacted the Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1939, which is in force in this State since November 1939. Under this Act, markets are regulated and the management of such markets is entrusted to a committee comprising representatives of agriculturists, traders, co-operative societies, local authorities and the Government nominees. An elaborate survey has to be undertaken by the marketing staff for the purpose of exploring the possibilities of regulating markets under the Act. The market committees are corporate bodies and can hold, acquire or transfer movable and immovable property. For the efficient functioning of the market, the committee is required to acquire or purchase land for its yard. Government grant loans for such purposes.

This district has been very slow in respect of the development of regulated markets. The existing regulated markets, viz., Karjat and Panvel, which were established in 1955 and 1957, respectively, started actual regulation work from December 1958 and March 1959, respectively. The regulated market at Pen has not started functioning still. A characteristic feature of the functioning of these markets is that sale and purchase are not held at the market yard, and the system of open auction is non existent due to the lack of adequate facilities. There is tough opposition from the trading community to the smooth functioning of regulation work. They act together and bid up to a certain limit even when the prevailing price in outside markets is higher. This works to the great disadvantage of the primary producers, who have to take back their produce and bring it again the next day. The capacity of the agriculturist to hoard his produce till the market moves in his favour is practically non-existent. Poverty prompts him to dispose of his produce immediately after it is harvested. Very often he takes advances from the traders and proposes to give his produce in return at very low prices. The result is that the traders command a good position vis-a-vis the producers and regulation of agricultural produce suffers to a great extent.

Another difficulty which has hampered the progress of the markets is the non-availability of suitable lands for the market yards, and lack of finances for the development of the market committees.

Karjat.

Under terms of the Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1939, paddy-husked and unhusked, nagli and wari were brought under regulation and functioning of the market began from October 1958. The market committee commands a yard measuring eleven acres situated in the civil limits of Dahivali, two miles from Karjat. The committee has also opened an experimental sub-centre at Neral and there are markets proper at 21 villages. The jurisdiction of the Karjat market extends over the entire area of Karjat taluka, and sale and purchase of the regulated commodities without licence from the market committee is declared to be an offence.

The traders, general commission agents and weighmen are required to take licences from the committee. Traders are classified as 'A' and 'B' Class and 'retail' traders, and they are required to pay a prescribed amount of licence fee. There are 45 class 'A', 34 class 'B' and 199 retail traders who are licensed by the market committee.

The committee charges market cess at the rates as under: -

During 1959-60 the committee collected Rs. 4,988 as market cess. Till February 1960 sale and purchase of agricultural produce was undertaken at the rice mills where the agriculturists used to bring paddy in bullock carts. The rice mill owners buy it, husk and grade finished rice to keep it ready for marketing. The officials from the market committee only do the kabulayat, and weigh the paddy through the licensed weighmen. Due to the absence of facilities at the yard, of an office building and goods shed, the sale and purchase cannot be transacted on the market yard.

The total turnover of paddy commanded by the market committee in 1958-59 is given below:―

The total arrival of paddy, husked and unhusked, was to the tune of 103,971 Bengali maunds in 1959-60.

Panvel.

Panvel market was regulated under the Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act in 1957. while the Panvel Agricultural Produce Market Committee started functioning in 1959. Paddy, husked and unhusked, is the only commodity brought under regulation.

The market yard itself is not a convenient place and does not provide any facility such as waiting shed, goods shed, yard for cattle, etc. Hence the agriculturists as well as the traders are very much reluctant to come to the yard for transactions. The bulk of the transactions take place at the premises of the traders. There are 16 general commission agents, 40 class 'A' traders, 10 class 'B' traders and 69 retail traders holding the licences of the Committee. The total income derived by the Committee by way of licence fee in 1959-60 was Rs. 7,673 as against Rs. 4,933 in 1958-59. The committee recovered Rs. 16,422 as market cess in 1959-60. A volume of 627,320 Bengali maunds of paddy was regulated by the committee in 1959-60.

The Panvel Taluka Co-operative Purchase and Sale Union Ltd., functions as a general commission agent at the market yard.

Co-operative Marketing.

During 1959-60 there were 11 co-operative purchase and sale societies in the district. Of them two were trading in betel-nuts and two in vegetables. The co-operative purchase and sale unions at Alibag, Panvel, Pen, Shriwardhan and Roha were adjudged to be functioning on sound lines. They had a total membership of 2,493, of which 2,394 were individual members and 99 member societies. The Murud Supari Sale Society has been doing yeoman's service to the trade in betel-nuts.

However, the pace of development and progress of co-operative marketing has been very slow. The area of operation of the co-operative marketing institutions is so small that they touch only a fraction of the business activities in the district. The membership and financial position of the societies does not present a very happy picture. Most of the societies are of recent origin, and are still in an experimental stage. The indifferent and unco-operative attitude of the sellers of agricultural produce is perhaps the greatest deterrent.

The financial position of the agriculturist prompts him to dispose of his produce immediately after harvesting. Very often than not he takes advances from the traders and agrees to sell him the produce at a lower price.

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