The Bharat Bandh called by the Congress-led opposition parties on Monday to protest the fuel price hike had a mixed impact on commodity markets across the country on Monday. While trade in plantation commodities such as rubber and pepper remained suspended in Kerala, agriculture market yards in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, among other States, were largely functional.

In Karnataka, trading was affected in the majority of the 160-odd APMC market yards. “Most of the markets were closed. Though some were open, trading was affected. We have lost today’s business,” said RC Lahoti, President of the Foodgrains and Pulses Merchants Association, in Bengaluru.

Kishore Shamji, of the Kochi-based Kishore Spices, said there were no arrivals in the pepper market due to the absence of transport facilities. Trading was affected and most banks remained closed for the day. Since market conditions are not favourable after the floods, Shamji said the average pepper trade per day has dropped to 25-30 tonnes from 50-60 tonnes earlier.

According to Rubber Board officials, there were no transactions for rubber as the bandh had affected trading in Kottayam, Kochi and even in Agartala markets. The average volume of trade per day is in the range of 500-1,000 tonnes, depending on market conditions and seasonality of the trade.

Cardamom trade normal

However, cardamom auctions went on without any hindrance, as it was conducted at Bodinayakanur, per the Spices Board schedule. The average price realised was ₹1,324/kg and the arrivals stood at 80 tonnes. Bodi and Puttady in Idukki have been selected for cardamom auctions by the Spices Board. If the auctions take place in Bodi on one day, they will be held at Puttady the next day, on a cyclical basis, PC Punnose of the Kerala Cardamom Processing & Marketing Company said.

In Gujarat, most of the APMC market yards remained functional. However, due to the ongoing Jain festival of Paryushan and it being the early days of the harvest season, arrivals were limited.

“There was no impact from the Bharat Bandh on APMCs. Most of the market yards remained functional. Although, there were thin arrivals of mainly castor due to the seasonal factor,” said RS Patel, secretary at Vijapur APMC.

However, in some parts of Saurashtra, Congress supporters allegedly forcibly closed yard operations. Farmers, fearing trouble, avoided bringing their crops.

There was mixed response to the bandh in Indore and other mandis across Madhya Pradesh. In Indore, porters who load and unload grains are on strike on the issue of lifting of sacks of grains as they are not willing to lift grain sacks above 50 kg. The porters are also not willing to reduce their labour charge on a grain sack of 50 kg. Currently they were being paid ₹2.90 per 90 kg weight . On account of the ongoing impasse between porters and traders/farmers, trading activities in Indore mandis were subdued, even though mandis remained open.

With inputs from our correspondent in Indore

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