Correspondent
WOKHA, JUL 30 (NPN): The Wokha District Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WDCCI) has called on the district administration to review the functioning of the Saturday Bazaar at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), alleging that its current mode of operation has adversely affected local businesses and strayed from its original objectives. A formal representation highlighting these concerns was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, Wokha, on July 30.
The chamber stated that the APMC was established to promote locally produced agricultural commodities, provide better market access to farmers, encourage scientific farming and strengthen the rural economy. However, it alleged that the Saturday Bazaar has gradually transformed into a general commercial marketplace dominated by traders from outside Nagaland, selling garments, hardware, household items and lifestyle products. This, it claimed, has overshadowed the market’s agricultural purpose.
According to WDCCI, the current system has created an uneven business environment for registered local establishments, which continue to bear recurring expenses such as municipal taxes, trade licence fees, shop rent, electricity charges, employee wages and transportation costs. In contrast, temporary traders at the weekly market incur significantly lower overheads, enabling them to sell goods at cheaper rates. Several shopkeepers told Nagaland Post that business has slowed considerably since the introduction of the Saturday Bazaar, making it difficult to sustain operations and pay monthly expenses.
The chamber further claimed that commercial transactions at the weekly APMC market generate a turnover of more than Rs. 1 crore every week, but a substantial portion of this business is carried out by traders from outside the state. This, it said, results in a significant outflow of revenue, weakens indigenous entrepreneurship and limits opportunities for local enterprises. Concerns were also raised about the participation of outside traders allegedly operating without proper regulatory mechanisms.
Among its demands, WDCCI called for comprehensive review of the APMC’s functioning; restoration of mandate to prioritise local agricultural producers; regulation of non-local traders to ensure fair competition; equitable trade framework safeguarding local entrepreneurs.
Clarifying its position, the chamber stated it was not opposed to trade but insisted that commerce must be encouraged within a fair and well-regulated system that protects genuine local businesses. It cautioned that if the issues raised remain unaddressed, the business community may be compelled to resort to peaceful and democratic forms of protest.