Bharat bandh: Pune APMC open, only for long-distance farmers to store produce

The Pune APMC remained open on Tuesday even as the farmers, protesting against the new agriculture laws, called for a Bharat bandh.

A local trader said there, however, was no selling; they just accepted produce from farmers who came from other places.

"We support the farmers' agitation. But we kept the market open today so that farm produces coming in from other states could be stored or else they would rot. It will be sold tomorrow only," local trader Sachin Paygude told .

Another trader said they had already informed the local farmers not to bring their produce as "we are also supporting the bandh". "But we kept it open just to make sure that the farmers coming from faraway places and other states who had already left their home do not face crop damage. There was no selling."

Even the number of farmers who came to the market on Tuesday was way less than a normal business day.

An APMC official said only 174 vehicles (of grains, vegetables and fruits) were registered till closing at 9 am on Tuesday, as compared to 1,500 on an average daily.

Farmer unions on Friday had called for a Bharat bandh today, stating that they were not satisfied with amendments to the agricultural legislation being proposed by the central government during several rounds of talks.

The farmers' union, however, urged the protesters not to force anyone to join the call for bandh.

The farmers' union urged farmers not to force anyone to join the call for Bharat Bandh.Thousands of farmers have been protesting on different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Leaders of farmer groups have held several rounds of talks with the government but all of them remained inconclusive so far. After the fifth round of talks, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has called another meeting on December 9.

( With inputs from ANI )