Navi Mumbai: In a significant administrative overhaul, the Maharashtra government has dissolved the elected board of directors of the Mumbai Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), which oversees six markets within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) handling commodities such as food grains, fruits, vegetables, spices, dry fruits, pulses, edible oil and oilseeds.
The term of the board expired on August 31 and Vikas Rasal, the state’s director of marketing and a senior officer with extensive agricultural experience, on Monday took charge as temporary administrator.
The dissolution following the conclusion of the board’s tenure, while technically a routine procedure under state law, is far from standard owing to lobbying by influential members of the outgoing board for an extension. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and other ministers were reportedly unwilling to grant a reprieve to the board plagued by allegations of misconduct and corruption and ongoing efforts to declare the Mumbai APMC a ‘national market’.
The ‘national market’ framework integrates mandis into a pan-India supply chain via platforms like e-NAM (National Agriculture Market). It promises farmers transparent pricing, direct buyer access, and reduced reliance on intermediaries, while weakening local monopolies and dismantling APMCs’ gatekeeper role.
Rasal, who previously held a leadership role at the Pune APMC, affirmed his commitment to the government’s broader vision after taking charge on Monday.
“I will be taking on the responsibility of the Mumbai APMC under the guidance of marketing minister Jaykumar Rawal and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The government is positive about declaring Mumbai APMC and some other markets as national markets. Work on that is progressing,” he said.
The final notification to grant ‘national market’ status to MAPMC is pending the governor’s assent.
Rasal’s appointment, however, was mired in procedural questions, said officials from the marketing ministry. One such official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the director of marketing appointing himself as administrator was not consistent with legal precedents or established norms. This was echoed by other marketing experts.
Reactions from stakeholders at the Vashi APMC market were mixed.
“We hope the administrator brings efficiency and fairness, although elected boards give us a voice and we don’t want to lose that,” said Sameer Patil, an onion trader.
“If this change helps us get better prices and reduces interference of middlemen, then it’s welcome,” said Nitin Jadhav, a farmer from Ahmednagar.