Vashi APMC’s onion and potato markets faced a handling disruption on Thursday after Mathadi workers refused to unload sacks weighing more than 50 kilograms, leaving consignments on trucks and raising concerns over the supply of essential vegetables to Mumbai.
Unloading and loading of sacks weighing up to 50 kilograms continued at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee, or APMC, in Navi Mumbai. However, sacks weighing more than that limit were not removed from vehicles, creating difficulties for traders who were unable to move the produce into the market for further handling and sale.
The Mathadi workers had previously stated that they would not lift sacks exceeding 50 kilograms. The position was implemented from Thursday morning. According to information provided by the APMC administration, some sacks weighed between 52 and 55 kilograms, while others weighed between 60 and 61 kilograms.
Security personnel reported that about 38 onion-laden vehicles and 17 potato-laden vehicles carrying overweight sacks were standing in the market. Although the produce had reached the APMC, its unloading and subsequent processing had stalled.
The dispute is centred on the weight of sacks being sent to the market and the responsibilities involved in their handling. The APMC administration has appealed to trader associations to ensure that sacks weighing more than 50 kilograms are not sent to the market. The administration said this would help prevent further disruption to unloading operations.
Mathadi worker organisations are scheduled to hold a meeting with their members on Friday morning. Discussions with trader organisations are expected to follow. The immediate outcome of those meetings will determine whether the unloading issue is resolved and whether the affected consignments can be moved through the market.
The matter has also reached the state government. Minister Jaykumar Rawal spoke by telephone with Mathadi leader Narendra Patil and promised that a meeting of the concerned parties would be held within the next eight to ten days to find a solution. Mumbai APMC secretary Rajaram Dhondkar said that any decision reached at the meetings would be strictly implemented.
Traders have warned that they may stop sourcing agricultural produce from outside markets if the issue of overweight sacks continues. They said consignments arriving from external markets generally weigh more, increasing the handling problem for traders operating at Vashi APMC.
A prolonged stoppage could reduce arrivals of onions, potatoes and garlic and affect the supply chain serving Mumbai. The current disruption has not stopped all market activity, since sacks within the 50-kilogram limit continue to be handled, but the vehicles carrying heavier consignments remain a point of blockage. The scheduled worker and trader meetings are the next formal step in resolving the dispute.
