The Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM) has called for a bandh in the 282 Agriculture Produce Markets (APMs) in the state to protest the levy of service charges on them. The state government had amended the APM Act in the House on April 3, and on April 6, the Director of Marketing, government of Maharashtra, had issued orders to all APMs to amend the by-laws of commodities and implement them within 15 days.

The service charges range from 2.5 to 8 per cent on various commodities barring vegetables, for which it will be 12 per cent.

Mohan Gurnani, FAM president, claimed the new amendment would cost consumers dear. "Retail prices of APM products will rise at least eight to 12 per cent. At present, the agriculturist bears the service charges, but after the amendment,the trader will have to pay for services like weighing, transporting, storage and brokerage. This will have to be recover this from the consumer."

FAM sources claim the amendment is a sop for farmers. The amended act is prevalent in Karnataka, said Deepak Shah of the FAM. "There, the move has flopped; here too, it will harm the farmers," he opined.