Traders protest hike in AMPC market fee in Karnataka

Bengaluru: A token strike was observed by traders of various Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) markets in Karnataka on Monday, protesting the hike in the market fee by the state government recently.

Some APMC markets were shut while protests took place elsewhere against the hike in the fee from 0.35 per cent to one per cent of the transaction value, President of APMC Committee, Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ramesh Chandra Lahoti said.

Business at several APMCs, including in the city, was partially hit while in some other places such as Hubbali, the strike evoked total response, he told PTI.

According to him, the hike in the fees to one per cent during the coronavirus time when the businesses have crashed badly will hurt the interest of businessmen, labourers as well as the farmers.

This was a token agitation and on December 23 traders, labourers and farmers will together stage a protest across the state if the government did not withdraw the hike in the market fee, he added.