In remote markets across the country, wholesale buyers and commission agents (aratdars) are taking more produce from farmers than the agreed weight when they buy crops. The practice is unethical and a punishable offence under the law.

The matter has come to the attention of the government's Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM), which has instructed agricultural marketing officers across the country to take the necessary action.

A DAM memo on weighing irregularities in the trade of onions, mangoes and other farm produce, issued on Monday (27 April), said: "There are allegations that at various haats and bazaars across the country, a class of dishonest traders and middlemen, on the pretext of the customary dholta or shukna allowance, are forcing farmers to hand over 2 to 6 kg of extra produce for every 40 kg when buying onions, mangoes and other agricultural products."

The memo said this is unethical and a punishable offence under section 29, chapter 4, of the Weights and Measures Standards Act, 2018. Agricultural marketing officers have been told to take the necessary action to protect farmers from this financial harassment and to keep order in the markets.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.