Selling mangoes from milk booths!

Traders seek permission from NMMC for the same; say it will help people get the best stuff at a place near their residences

Veda Ramaswamy, Vashi

May 10, 2011 - DNA Navi Mumbai

The mango traders of Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Vashi are planning to propose a draft asking the NMMC to permit them to use the milk booths that are present at various spots in Navi Mumbai for selling mangoes. The traders are in the developmental process of setting up the draft and plan to send it soon.

The milk booths in the city are open for around 3 hours in the morning, from 6 am to 9 am. They then remain closed for the entire day. The traders of APMC wish to sell mangoes at these booths for the remaining hours of the day. The mango traders cite that this move will not only facilitate better sales, but also reduce people’s efforts. “We wish to use the milk booths from 9 am to 8 pm to sell mangoes. We want NMMC to grant us permission to do so. We do not want to get involved in any illegal conduct. Accordingly, we are planning to send a draft to the NMMC asking them to permit us to use the booths. Not only will we gain more opportunities to sell our product, but the people will also benefit from this since the same high quality mangoes would then be available at a place near their homes,” said Sanjay Pimpale, a mango trader from APMC and the Secretary of the Fruit and Vegetable Merchant’s Association.

The traders were toying with this idea since long, but the sharp drop in sales this year due to the dearth in supplies of mangoes combined with the high price has propelled the traders to conceive this draft. “I will have to look into the matter once I get the letter,” said Suresh Patil, the in-charge Deputy Municipal Commissioner, NMMC, Zone 1 and Zone 2. If this move gets approved, then there wouldn’t be any need for the local citizens to travel all the way to APMC to buy some of the finest quality mangoes. “This move will definitely be beneficial for the commoners. I hope these traders are not looking out to gain some personal profits out of this,” said Rajesh Naik, a resident of Khandeshwar.