Zero business at Tandur market

Tandur: Zero business is alleged to be going on unchecked at the agriculture market here which transacted a turnover of Rs 3 crore last year. However, unofficial accounts put the volume of the business transacted would be much higher.

The farmers in the surrounding areas cultivate red gram, black gram, green gram, cotton, paddy and other agricultural produce. The farmers take their produce to the market yards at Kotpalli and Basheerabad besides the one at Tandur.

The commission agents should transact business through e-national agricultural market. They should have license to transact the business. They give receipt to farmers and it records the quantum and value of the transaction minus the agents’ commission.

In fact, the commission agents should charge only 2 per cent as commission from the farmers but they are charging 3 per cent over and above the rules. There are 73 commission agents in the Tandur market yard and 71 others are functioning as traders.
The farmers should bring their produce to the commission agent who put it for auction. The commodity would be sold to the highest bidder.

Why the agents are exploiting the farmers by taking three per cent as their commission from the farmers. Many agents are transacting the commodities without having any license. To secure license, one should pay a deposit of Rs 5 lakh.

Some other traders are purchasing commodities from farmers outside the market yard without any license. As a result, income due to the state government is being denied. They are giving receipts on white paper, which is unofficial.

When The Hans India approached the market committee secretary Praveen Kumar, he said that the market yard officials would raid on such traders and impose fines on them if found guilty.

To get license one should pay a market fee of Rs 3000 and show a bank guarantee of Rs 5 lakh. He threatened to intensify raids on such persons.