NAVI MUMBAI: A major confrontation is brewing at the onion-potato wholesale yard of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Turbhe, raising fears of supply chain disruption across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The Maharashtra Rajya Mathadi, Transport and General Kamgar Union has issued a stern ultimatum: from March 1, workers will refuse to unload any sack weighing more than 50 kg and will stop work if the limit is violated.
Addressing a large gathering of Mathadi workers and mukadams earlier this week, union general secretary Narendra Annasaheb Patil asserted that all mukadams and office-bearers had unanimously backed the move. He described the decision as “a line carved in black stone”, indicating that it was absolute and unalterable, drawing applause from workers.
In a formal letter on February 20 to the Onion-Potato Wholesale Traders Association, copies of which were forwarded to the APMC administration and market bodies, Patil warned that despite repeated meetings and written communications, sacks weighing between 60 kg and 70 kg continued to enter the market yard. The union stated that forcing manual labourers to handle such excessive loads violated government resolutions and exposed workers to long-term knee and spinal injuries.
The restriction draws statutory backing from the Maharashtra Mathadi, Hamal and Other Manual Workers (Regulation of Employment and Welfare) Act, 1969. Broader workplace safety obligations flow from the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.
In early 2021, Mathadi workers had launched a similar agitation and temporarily disrupted operations at the onion-potato yard, accusing traders of flouting central and state safety guidelines. Following the latest union communication, the APMC administration has issued written directions to trader bodies, asking them to ensure strict compliance with the 50-kg cap and warned that responsibility for violations would rest with the concerned traders or commission agents.
Trader representatives said they were not opposed to the weight cap in principle but insisted that enforcement must be uniform. “If the rule is implemented strictly only at Navi Mumbai while other APMCs continue accepting heavier sacks, it will affect competitiveness and trade movement,” said a representative.