Sl.No.

Area of Reforms

Position of the Act

before amendment

Position of the Act

after amendment

Remarks

1

2

3

4

5

1

Title of the Act

The  Maharashtra Agricultural Produce Marketing(Regulation) Act 1963

The Maharashtra Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act 2005

2.

Allowing setting up of Competitive Markets by private persons, farmers and consumers.

Under Section 5 (1) -

For every market area there shall be established a principal market, and there may be established one or more subsidiary markets.

A new chapter 1 – B, section 5D has been inserted – under which

(1)   The Director may grant licence to any person to establish a private market in one or more market areas for –

a)      processing of the agricultural produce;

b)      trade of the agricultural produce of particular specification.

c)      Export of the agricultural produce;

d)      Grading, packing & transactions in any other way by value addition of the agricultural produce.

(2)    The Director may grant licence to any person, who agreed or undertakes to develop the prescribed infrastructure, for establishing farmer, consumer market.

3.

Direct sale/ procurement from the farmers field

Under clause 5 of the Rules –

No person shall market any declared agricultural produce in any place in a market area other than the principal market or subsidiary market established therein.  However under section 59 of the Act, market committee or any class of person may be exempted from any of the provisions of the Act or any rules.

A new chapter 1-B, section 5D has been inserted –

Under which the Director may great licence to any person for Direct marketing.

4.

Institutional support to contract farming through

     i.      Registration of

 sponsoring       company

    ii.      Recording of Contract          Farming agreement

  iii.      Time bound dispute resolution mechanism 

  iv.      Indemnity to farmers land       

No provision

-

-

-

-

     No provision. However the Government is considering to issue an ordinance in the matter.

5.

Promote Public-Private Partnership in financing, construction, operation and management of agricultural markets.

Amendment proposal already carried out in April 2004.  Establishment of private terminal markets for fruit & vegetables and flowers can be permitted under the amended law.

No change

6.

Market fee/tax.

1.Single Point levy in the entire process of marketing

2. Fee on

1. Direct Marketing

2. Contract Farming
3. Processing

4. Exports

(3) Whether any rationalization/ Simplification done  in the levy of market fee.

Under section 31,2 (I) –

No market fee shall be levied and collected in the same market area is relation to agricultural produce in respect of which market fee have already been levied & collected therein.

Under section 31 of the Act – Market committee is competent to levy and collect fee in the prescribed manner at such rates as may be decided by it.

-

Under section 31 –

Market fee is exempted.

Under section 31 –

Market fee is exempted.

Provision exists under section 31,2 (I)

No change

No change

No change.

No change.

Under chapter 5 D (2) © -

No market fee shall be leviable on the sale or purchase of the agricultural produce is the farmer – consumer markets.

7.

Licensing :

(i)Whether licensing system is simplified

(ii)Whether provision made for issue of a single license to operate in the entire State or part of the State

Under section 7 of the Act-   The market committee may grant one single licence in respect of the principal market, subsidiary market and in respect of any other place in the market area.

Under section 7 subsection (3) –

Any trader who desires to operate in more than one market area, may apply to such authority or  officer notified by the State Government for grant or renewal of licence with such details, as may be prescribed.  Such application shall contain the names of the Agricultural Produce Market Committees in which the applicant trader wants to operate and the authority or officer granting such licence shall incorporated in the licence the names of such Agricultural Produce Market Committees in which concerned trader shall be entitled to operate.  The person applying for licence to operate in more than one market area, shall be required to pay the licence fee at such rate, as may be prescribed, to the concerned authority or officer and such fee shall be shared in the manner prescribed, between such authority or, as the case may be officer and the Marketing Committees which are covered under the said licence. 

8.

Whether Marketing Board has set up:

(i)Separate extension cell to provide market led extension services to the farmers

(ii)Separate Agricultural Produce Marketing Standard Bureau to promote grading and standardization of agricultural commodities.

No separate provision exists, however the activities are provided under Rule 27 . The Extension, Publicity and activities are carried out by the Board .

No separate provision exists, however the activities are provided under Rule 27.

No Change.

No Change.