BANGALORE: Farmers say they have greatly benefited from the online tendering process introduced in APMCs and have requested the government not to cancel the system.
Shivananjaiah, a farmer from Tiptur, told reporters here recently that earlier there used to be under reporting of weight of farm goods. “But the online process means there is little chance for misappropriation,” he said.
The farmers claimed that the online process keeps away middlemen. “The online process means farmers don’t have to go through agents or middlemen. This ensures transparency,” said B S Devaraju, Tumkur district president of Karnataka Raitha Sangha.
Many complained of several illegalities in APMCs. “Weights of goods would be tampered with and also farmers did not get proper receipts, and they would always get duped,” said Gangadhar, another farmer.
The farmers have requested the state government not to give in to pressure and to retain the online system.