Food items wholesalers of Jharkhand called off their four-day-long strike on Saturday evening after “positive” talks with agriculture minister Badal Patralekh.

“We had a positive discussion with the agriculture minister and chief minister’s secretary Vinay Kumar Choubey and have decided to temporarily call off the strike based on the assurance that they will be taking our opinion before the formation of rules in fixing market fees. However, we will be holding a virtual meeting with our district unit before taking a final decision,” said Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) president Kishore Mantri.

Earlier in the day, JMM senior leader and state coordination committee member Vinod Pandey — considered close to chief minister Hemant Soren — along with Fagu Besra and Congress state president Rajesh Thakur wrote a letter to the chief minister on reconsidering the imposition of two per cent tax as proposed in the Jharkhand State Agriculture Produce and Livestock Marketing Bill 2022.

Over a lakh wholesalers in food items (barring non-vegetarian items and a few fruit dealers) went on a strike in Jharkhand on Wednesday to protest against the bill that introduces market fees on perishable food commodities. On February 4, former governor Ramesh Bais gave his nod to the bill along with some suggestions.

The FJCCI president informed that all 28 mandis (agriculture market yards) and 150 rice mills along with wholesaler traders across the state remained closed for the last four days.

Former FJCCI president and executive committee member of Pandra Bazar Samity in Ranchi, Praveen Chabra, said that they are hopeful that the government will take back the bill altogether.

“Once the bill gets implemented, a two per cent market fee on non-perishable items and a 1 per cent market fee on perishable items will be realised. In this country, 98 per cent of consumable-ready items are imported for trading. The burden will fall on consumers with the implementation of market fees. If those dealing in food grains have to pay a two per cent tax for buying those, they have to sell those at a higher price for maintaining a margin which will be very difficult in competitive markets outside the state and the consumers will have to pay more,” said Chabra, adding that the minister communicated that the two per cent and one per cent fee were the upper limits and that they would be consulted before fixing rates for various commodities.

“Sensing the food crisis in Jharkhand we have taken a decision to call off the strike but we are still adamant on the repeal of the bill altogether,” said Chabra.