The Siddaramaiah-led government in Karnataka has said it will repeal the 2022 amendment made by the previous BJP government to the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMC) Act. The government plans to restore the original provisions of the Act while incorporating some "progressive" clauses. Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs HK Patil confirmed on Thursday, June 15, that a draft of the amendment bill is being finalised and will be presented in both houses of the legislature during the upcoming budget session. A meeting was held between HK Patil and APMC Minister Shivanand Patil to discuss the matter.
The Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation and Development) (Amendment) Act 2020, which mirrors the central legislation to modify APMC laws, will be withdrawn and replaced by the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation and Development) Act, 1966, with certain provisions from the amended Act retained. Additionally, new provisions will be introduced to safeguard the interests of farmers. Inputs will be sought from experts in this regard. The Act granted permission to private entities to procure agricultural produce directly from farmers. The farmers had argued that this provision would empower major corporations to exert control over crop choices and pricing.
The amendments to the APMC Act were implemented by the previous BJP government in compliance with a directive by the Union government. These amendments were in line with the controversial farm laws passed by the Parliament and had faced significant opposition from farmers across various states. Farmers held yearlong protests on the borders of Delhi to demand the repeal of these laws.
Siddaramaiah, as the Leader of Opposition in 2021, had vehemently opposed the amendments and asked the state government to immediately repeal them. In 2020, the amendments were introduced amidst protest by the Congress party. Siddaramaiah had accused the government of introducing the APMC Amendment Act with the intention of enabling private players to directly engage with farmers without involving the APMC.
Although the Centre repealed all three farm laws in November 2021, ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections, the BJP government in Karnataka refused to withdraw the amended Act. Minister Shivanand Patil pointed out that the new APMC Act had not benefited traders, farmers, or labourers at APMCs. On the contrary, it had caused significant financial losses, with APMC revenues falling from approximately Rs 650 crore to around Rs 200 crore after the amendment. Patil said the state's original APMC Act served as a model that could be emulated nationwide.