Bengaluru | September 8, 2026
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar visited the Yeshwantpur Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) yard in Bengaluru on Tuesday and heard complaints from onion growers, traders and women workers about transport costs, weighing practices and working conditions.
The surprise visit brought the chief minister into direct contact with participants in one of Bengaluru’s major agricultural trading centres as onion prices have been rising. Shivakumar toured the market and asked farmers and traders about the problems affecting the onion trade, according to the report.
Farmers told the chief minister that the rising cost of transporting onions was reducing their earnings. They also raised concerns about possible irregularities in the weighing of their produce and sought greater attention to their grievances. The farmers said the Agriculture Minister had not visited the market to hear their complaints.
Shivakumar listened to the issues raised during the visit and assured the farmers that steps would be taken to address their concerns. The report did not specify the measures, departments or timelines involved in the assurance.
The discussions at Yeshwantpur APMC also covered the position of traders and women workers at the market. Shivakumar interacted with women workers and heard about the difficulties they face, although the report did not detail the specific workplace issues raised during the meeting.
The visit comes as onion growers face pressure from higher transportation costs while onion prices are increasing. Transport expenses affect the amount farmers retain from sales and are part of the wider chain connecting agricultural producers with wholesale markets and consumers in Bengaluru.
Farmers welcomed the chief minister’s intervention and said they hoped their complaints would receive attention. The next steps, including any action on transportation costs, produce weighing or the concerns of women workers, were not specified in the report.
