Mumbai: In a significant restructuring of Maharashtra’s agricultural marketing system, the state government has granted “Market of National Importance” (MNI) status to the Mumbai Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), elevating the country’s largest wholesale agricultural market to a new regulatory and administrative framework.
Government notification issued on May 29 under 1963 Act
Following the decision, Marketing Minister Jaykumar Rawal on Tuesday assumed charge as Chairman of the newly designated Market of National Importance at the APMC headquarters in Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
The move comes after the state government's notification issued on May 29 under the Maharashtra Agricultural Produce Marketing (Development and Regulation) Act, 1963. As part of the transition, the existing board of directors of the Navi Mumbai APMC has been dissolved, and the market's administration will now function under the provisions applicable to a Market of National Importance.
Move aims to strengthen Mumbai as key agricultural trading hub
Officials said the decision is aimed at strengthening Mumbai’s role as a key agricultural trading and distribution hub with national significance. The market handles large volumes of fruits, vegetables, grains and other agricultural commodities arriving from different parts of Maharashtra and across the country.
With the new designation, policymakers expect improved integration of agricultural trade networks, enhanced market infrastructure and greater opportunities for agricultural exports. The move is also intended to position Mumbai’s wholesale market ecosystem to compete more effectively in an increasingly globalised agricultural trade environment.
New status expected to boost agricultural exports and infrastructure
Rawal said the decision would provide national prominence to the Mumbai market and create new opportunities for farmers, traders and other stakeholders linked to the agricultural supply chain. He expressed confidence that the upgraded status would strengthen Maharashtra’s position in agricultural marketing and help improve market access for producers.
The government believes the new framework will facilitate more efficient marketing of agricultural commodities and support efforts to modernise the state's agricultural trade infrastructure. Industry observers view the move as an important policy intervention that could increase the market's role in domestic and export-oriented agri-business, given Mumbai's strategic importance as a commercial and logistics hub.
The designation of the Mumbai APMC as a Market of National Importance marks one of the most significant changes in the state's agricultural marketing sector in recent years and is expected to have a long-term impact on the movement and trade of farm produce across India.
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