HYDERABAD (March 12 2004): Leaders of grower's organisations termed the auctions of agri market committees across the province "Ugly manoeuvring" and demanded restoration of market committee status as defined in Agriculture Produce Market Committee Act 1939.

Sindh Abadgar Board President Abdul Majeed Nizamani said that the successive provincial governments have failed to execute the act and provide facilities envisaged under it despite financial backup by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

He quoted the example of six market committees of Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Adam, Mirpurkhas, Larkana and Jacobabad, which were to be developed as corporate bodies with modern marketing system having cold storage, warehouses, refrigerated mobiles and fair price shops with an ADB financial assistance of Rs 28.295 million, but till today these committees were devoid of basic facilities as provisions of act was not enforced nor any rules and by-laws were made.

Refuting the claim of market committee director that the auction of market committee would generate more income, he said the statistics released by the director contradicts his claim.

He said that the statistics revealed that so far bids of five market committees out of eight have been accepted with a bid amount of Rs 69.190 million and an earnest money of around Rs 20 million have been collected, which includes 25 percent of the bid money and 10 percent of the official bid amount, while their annual budget report of the last year indicates a gross income of Rs 71.429 million, showing a decline in the income.

He said the contractor system was abolished following the excesses of market contractors, which brought the growers on the roads. But following corruption reports of the market committees the provincial Agriculture Ministry, to cover up massive financial mismanagement, re-introduces the contractor system, which will not be accepted by the growers community.

Syed Qamer Zaman Shah, president, Sindh Chamber of Commerce, while rejecting the auction of market committees in the province demanded that the auction should be declared null and void and an high-level inquiry should be instituted in the market committees affairs.

When contacted he told Business Recorder that how they can auction the market committees without restoring the rights of growers, the main stakeholders.

He said that one-third area of each market committee was to be allotted to the growers but despite payment and issue of allotment orders no physical possession has been given to-date.

He said that unless the growers participation in market committees and marketing policies was not ensure the market committees would not achieve the desired objectives.

Gada Hussain Mehasir, president, Rice Mills, while rejecting the auction of the market committees sounded a note of warning that if the auction was not declared null and void the rice millers would in protest closed down their mills for indefinite period.

He said the contractor system has been tested time and again and was abolished when it was found unsuitable for the development of agriculture sector.

He termed the auction appointing a policeman on growers, which would not be tolerated.

The Fruit and Vegetable Traders Association president commenting on the auction said that the traders were not disputing the transparency of auction, but delay in the final approval of the contracts.

He said that the element of corruption could not be ruled out on account of inordinate delay in the final approval.

According to market committee sources a number of contractors have served legal notice through their solicitors to Market Committee director for the final approval of the contract or return of the earnest money.

Courtesy Daily Business Recorder