At a time when nation-wide lockdown has impacted supplies of essential commodities in parts of the country, the edible oil trade body, Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) has suggested the government to allow direct sourcing from farmers avoiding the Agricultural produce market committee (APMC)s.

In a letter to the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare on Monday, the SEA requested the government to relax the existing APMC laws in the States and exempt the oilseed crushers and processors to make direct purchases from the farmers.

“We would like to bring to your kind notice that various oilseed crops including rapeseed/mustard, groundnut, sesame are ready to be harvested or already harvested and farmers are eager to sell them. But unfortunately, the Mundis are not operating as auctions involve gathering of a large number of people causing a challenge to maintain social distancing,” said the letter by Atul Chaturvedi, President, SEA.

The letter also states that this mechanism of direct purchases from farmers will help them market their produce and the industry will be able to receive raw material such as oilseeds and maintain supply-chain of edible oils to the consumers. “This would also eliminate multiple contacts and also help in maintaining social distancing,” he added.

The request comes on the back of market yards and APMCs suspending their auctions operations amid fears of spread of the Covid-19.

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