Haveri: Traders at Byadagi Chilli Market have opted against relocating to the Mega Market near Ranebennur. At a meeting convened recently, more than 850 traders unanimously decided to remain at the existing facility in Byadagi.
The market received chilli consignments in excess of 4.5 lakh bags on certain days over the past four weeks.
The state govt had previously proposed to move the Byadagi Chilli Market to the Mega Market at Hulihalli on National Highway 48, citing a space crunch.
However, traders were reluctant to vacate the existing market spread over 72 acres of land, housing more than 276 shops, 1,010 commissioned agents, and 1,110 traders. They had suggested acquisition of additional land around the existing market to provide for a bigger retail space.
The traders’ association called for a meeting following rumours that some traders had applied for shop space in the Mega Market.
Association president and former MLA Sureshgouda Patil told TOI the APMC market had been trading only in chilli and for just six months in a season. “Lakhs of people are dependent on this market for their livelihood. There are more than 30 cold storages and [ancillary] industries have been set up for crores of rupees surrounding the market.
“We will not move anywhere from this market as Byadagi Chilli Market is everything for us,” he asserted.
Patil also claimed the market was set up before Independence and it is more than 100 years old.
“Moreover, the Byadagi Chilli market has become a brand. It has had a registered turnover of Rs 2,000 crore per year for five consecutive years now,” Patil said.
“We have a space constraint here only for a month, during the peak season. If idle space in the market is judiciously utilised, it will help us run the market more efficiently,” he further clarified.
“Shivanand Patil, the minister in charge for the district, should put in efforts to acquire 100 acres of government land on the Kadaramundalagi Road in Byadagi for our market,” suggested Suresh Melagiri, another trader at the chilli market.
When contacted, Satish HY, secretary, APMC Byadagi, claimed he was neither aware of any plan to move the Byadagi Chilli Market to the Mega Market near Ranebennur nor was there any demand for such a move from the traders, he said.
The market received chilli consignments in excess of 4.5 lakh bags on certain days over the past four weeks.
The state govt had previously proposed to move the Byadagi Chilli Market to the Mega Market at Hulihalli on National Highway 48, citing a space crunch.
However, traders were reluctant to vacate the existing market spread over 72 acres of land, housing more than 276 shops, 1,010 commissioned agents, and 1,110 traders. They had suggested acquisition of additional land around the existing market to provide for a bigger retail space.
The traders’ association called for a meeting following rumours that some traders had applied for shop space in the Mega Market.
Association president and former MLA Sureshgouda Patil told TOI the APMC market had been trading only in chilli and for just six months in a season. “Lakhs of people are dependent on this market for their livelihood. There are more than 30 cold storages and [ancillary] industries have been set up for crores of rupees surrounding the market.
“We will not move anywhere from this market as Byadagi Chilli Market is everything for us,” he asserted.
Patil also claimed the market was set up before Independence and it is more than 100 years old.
“Moreover, the Byadagi Chilli market has become a brand. It has had a registered turnover of Rs 2,000 crore per year for five consecutive years now,” Patil said.
“We have a space constraint here only for a month, during the peak season. If idle space in the market is judiciously utilised, it will help us run the market more efficiently,” he further clarified.
“Shivanand Patil, the minister in charge for the district, should put in efforts to acquire 100 acres of government land on the Kadaramundalagi Road in Byadagi for our market,” suggested Suresh Melagiri, another trader at the chilli market.
When contacted, Satish HY, secretary, APMC Byadagi, claimed he was neither aware of any plan to move the Byadagi Chilli Market to the Mega Market near Ranebennur nor was there any demand for such a move from the traders, he said.