Dhar mandi reopens after seven days, new soybean fetches Rs 10,001 a quintal in muhurat bidding

Trading resumed on Thursday at the Dhar agricultural produce market (mandi) after remaining closed for about seven days because of the festivals. On the first day of reopening, traders held a muhurat ceremony, as per tradition, to mark the arrival of the new soybean crop.

Collector Rajeev Ranjan Meena attended as chief guest. In the presence of traders and mandi officials, he performed a puja with due rituals. The first muhurat bid was then placed on soybean brought in a bullock cart.

In this first bid, soybean belonging to a farmer named Bahadur, a resident of Kalukhedi, sold at Rs 10,001 per quintal. As soon as the bid was placed, traders began buying the new crop. Mandi secretary Mansaram Jamre was present on the occasion, along with a large number of traders, farmers and mandi employees.

Farmers had begun arriving from the morning, as soon as word of the reopening spread. About 300 vehicles reached the mandi with produce on the first day, including tractor-trolleys and other loading vehicles. With business starting after a long gap, the mandi premises were busy from early morning. Farmers arrived with their produce, while traders were seen preparing to buy.

Because trading was shut for the festivals, farmers had had to wait to sell their produce. The reopening on Thursday gave them the chance to do so. Arrivals were about 300 vehicles on the first day, and the inflow of new soybean is expected to rise in the coming days.