Lucknow : In a bid to address the ongoing challenges faced by retail agri product traders in Uttar Pradesh, a delegation of traders led by Sanjay Gupta, State President of Uttar Pradesh Adarsh Vyapar Mandal, met Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Roshan Jacob and Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak.
During the meeting, the delegation submitted a formal memorandum highlighting the core issues plaguing the retail agri trade sector — especially those involving fertilizer pricing and unregulated procurement practices by manufacturing companies and wholesale distributors.
Sanjay Gupta emphasized the need for the government to regulate the purchase price of fertilizers for retail traders, just as it has done by fixing the sale price for farmers. Currently, fertilizers like Urea (₹266.50), DAP (₹1350), and NPK have government-mandated retail prices for farmers, but no fixed procurement rates for retailers. This, Gupta said, allows manufacturing companies and major wholesalers to exercise monopolistic control, often forcing retailers to buy fertilizers at inflated prices — higher than the set selling price — putting them in financial distress.
The delegation further alleged that fertilizer manufacturers force retail traders to buy additional agri products bundled with fertilizers, increasing their inventory burdens and freezing their capital.
“This unfair trade practice has led to several legal actions being taken against retail traders when prices exceed government-fixed limits — despite the root cause being exploitative pricing by wholesalers and manufacturers,” said Gupta.
The traders have called upon the state government to implement a transparent procurement pricing mechanism to ensure that retail traders are not left at the mercy of companies and large distributors. They requested that procurement prices be fixed, and unsolicited product bundling be banned, allowing retail traders to operate peacefully and in accordance with government regulations.
Key members of the delegation included:
- R.K. Kanojia, State President, Khudra Krishi Vyapari Welfare Association
- Amit Kumar Gupta, State General Secretary
- Desh Deepak Bajpai, State Vice President
- Avneesh Singh, State Organisation Secretary
Sanjay Gupta concluded by stating that the delegation will soon seek a meeting with the State Agriculture Minister to further push for policy reforms and highlight the pressing issues being faced by retail agri traders across Uttar Pradesh.
