32nd World Conference of World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM)

The 32nd World Conference of World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) conference organised at Gurugram on 11 and 12 October 2018.

Facts :

• It is inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Mr Purushottam Rupala.
• A total of 18 countries from five continents, embassies and diplomatic officers from 16 countries and over 50 Indian delegates from different State Agricultural Marketing Boards of India participated in the event.
• This is for the first time a conference of WUWM is being organised in India at Gurugram, Haryana.
• The theme of conference this year is “The Wholesale Markets in the Digital Era: Challenges and Opportunities."
• The conference is being hosted jointly by the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB), Panchkula and the National Council of State Agricultural Marketing Boards (COSAMB), New Delhi with World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM), Hague, Netherlands.
• The keynote speaker of the ceremony is Prof Nilesh Dattani, London School of Economics, London.
• The aim of the conference was to exchange information and knowledge between members, as well as with other public or private bodies regarding wholesale and retail markets.
• In order to achieve the objective of the conference, sessions are organised on topics such as Modernisation, New Technologies, Market Networking, e-NAM, Reshaping Markets, Supply Chain Efficiency, Market Reforms and Market Integration.
• The foreign delegates along with the Indian delegates has visited the Fruit and Vegetable Market, Azadpur, Delhi, which is the biggest Fruit and Vegetable market in Asia, registered in Limca Book of Records for its highest volume of fruit and vegetables handled.
• The delegates of WUWM studied the buying and selling system and activities of transportation of fruits and vegetables during their visit to the Azadpur Market.
• The delegates are also taken to APMC Sonepat to see the live demonstration of e-NAM (Electronic-National Agricultural Market), which is one of the largest pan India electronic trading platform in the world connecting more than 500 markets of India covering 16 States and two Union Territories connecting 100 million farmers selling their agricultural produce.
• The delegates also paid visit to India International Horticulture Market (IIHM), Ganaur, Sonepat which is going to be developed by Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB) to attract international investment from different parts of the world.
• The IIHM is being developed on 537.6 acres area on National Highway No.1 near Delhi Border. It is being developed into a destination, where produce is transported from producer end for its distribution after value addition to domestic, country wide and export markets. The market is designed to be one of the largest market in the country.
• Chairman, WUWM, Mr Zengjun Ma and Vice Chairman, WUWM, Mr Stéphane Layani were also present alongwith other delegates during this visit.

Analysis :

• The aim of the conference was to exchange information and knowledge between members, as well as with other public or private bodies regarding wholesale and retail markets.
• Discussions under single roof would benefit the practitioners in search of ideas on the appropriate model to apply in their respective countries.
• The conference would offer a strategy and comprehensive knowledge of the global wholesale market industry, support members in the operation and promotion of their markets.
• It would prove to be a milestone in terms of progress of India’s fruits and vegetable marketing at international level as the WUWM is mainly focusing on the production capacity of fruits and vegetables in India.
• Organising this conference is an important and practical step towards economical strengthening of agriculture sector of India, especially doubling the income of farmers by promoting agricultural produce at international level and minimizing the agricultural wastage upto zero level, besides finding the options for better policies in the interest of the farmers and the consumers.

About WUWM conference :

• The World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) is a non-profit association that aims to promote the international exchange of information on wholesale and retail markets, with a view to improving their construction, organisation and management.
• The WUWM generally holds a congress every two years and an annual member conference twice a year. Thematic or regional meetings are also held as the need arises.
• The WUWM congress is open to both members and non-members and is relevant to all wholesale/retail market operators and traders, food hygiene/security experts, food industry representatives, producers, distributors, academics, and national / regional decision-makers. WUWM congresses provide delegates with valuable networking opportunities, and an international forum to debate the latest issues and trends facing not only wholesale and retail markets, but the market sector and food distribution industries worldwide.
• WUWM Conferences are primarily aimed at the WUWM membership, however non-member observers and guests are always welcome to register and attend.

By: Harman Sandhu