Agriculture secretary Sanjay Agarwal on Wednesday said that the exiting APMC Act will continue. The clarification comes after the union cabinet approved amendments to the Essential Commodities Act, removing APMC restrictions for farmers.

Agarwal told CNBC-TV18 that definition of “markets” under APMC Act will remain part of the state list.

The union government has brought a new central act law that excludes markets defined in the APMC Act. It has empowered for a new central act under the concurrent list.

New central act says everything is a trade area other than markets under APMC Act, explained Agarwal.

After the Wednesday’s amendments farmers can sell their produce to any entity having a PAN Card, while no licensee entities will be required for sale or purchase of farm produce in a trade area.

Eleven states have issued ordinances to follow model APMC Act of 2017.

First Published:Jun 3, 2020 9:23 PM IST