In India, markets in agricultural products are regulated under the
Correct Answer :
Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act enacted by States
Solution :
The correct option is Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act enacted by States.
Detailed Explanation:
In India, agriculture is placed under the State List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Consequently, the responsibility and authority to regulate agricultural marketing and set up market yards lie with the respective state governments. To execute this, state governments have enacted their own Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Acts.
Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how agricultural markets are regulated under this Act:
1. Market Areas and Yards: Under the APMC Act, state governments notify specific geographical areas as market areas. Within these areas, they establish market yards and sub-yards where the actual trading of agricultural produce takes place.
2. Regulation of Intermediaries: The Act regulates the licensing of market functionaries, such as traders, commission agents (arhtiyas), and brokers. This prevents unauthorized players from exploiting farmers.
3. Fair Price Discovery: APMCs are designed to ensure that trading is conducted in a transparent manner, often through open auctions or electronic bidding, to facilitate fair price discovery for the farmers' produce.
Why other options are incorrect:
• Essential Commodities Act, 1955: This Central Act is aimed at controlling the production, supply, distribution, and pricing of specific essential commodities to prevent hoarding and black marketing, rather than regulating the day-to-day operations and trading infrastructure of agricultural markets.
• Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937: This Act provides for the grading and marking of agricultural and allied commodities (giving rise to the "AGMARK" certification tag). It is a quality-standardizing tool and does not regulate the physical or digital market platforms.
• Food Products Order, 1956 and Meat Food Products Order, 1973: These orders specify sanitary and hygiene specifications for processing food and meat products. They are safety regulations rather than market-regulation laws.
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