Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar visited Bengaluru’s Yeshwantpur Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) yard on Tuesday and heard complaints from onion growers, traders and women workers about transport costs, weighing practices and working conditions.
The surprise visit took place as onion prices have been rising and farmers at the market reported that higher transportation expenses were reducing their earnings. Shivakumar moved through the market and spoke with participants involved in the onion trade, according to a report by Deccan Herald.
Farmers told the Chief Minister that the cost of transporting onions was affecting the returns they received from their produce. They also raised concerns about possible irregularities in the weighing of onions brought to the market. The report did not provide details of specific incidents, quantities involved or any inquiry already initiated into the complaints.
During his interaction with farmers, Shivakumar sought information about whether they were facing problems in the weighing process. The weighing of agricultural produce is a key part of transactions at an APMC yard because it helps determine the quantity for which growers are paid. The farmers’ concerns were raised in the context of the onion trade at Yeshwantpur, one of Bengaluru’s major agricultural market locations.
The farmers also complained that the Agriculture Minister had not visited the market to hear their grievances. Shivakumar listened to the complaints and assured them that steps would be taken to address the issues they had raised. The report did not specify the measures, departments or timelines associated with that assurance.
The Chief Minister also interacted with women workers at the market and heard about the difficulties they face. The report did not provide further details about the nature of those difficulties or identify any immediate assistance announced for them.
The visit brought together concerns affecting different groups within the market: growers dealing with transportation expenses, traders involved in onion transactions and women workers whose livelihoods are linked to the APMC yard. Farmers welcomed the Chief Minister’s intervention and said they hoped their complaints would receive attention.
The visit comes amid farmer concerns over onion prices and the costs associated with bringing produce to market. No formal decision, inspection order or specific administrative action was announced in the report. Further steps will depend on how the state government responds to the complaints raised during the visit.
