Metro Cash & Carry asked to wait till Sunday

The West Bengal government will give its verdict soon regarding renewal of APMC license to German wholesale major Metro Cash & Carry which is facing opposition by left-wing Forward Bloc.

The company is facing resistance on renewal of its Agriculture Produce Market Committee license to buy farm produce directly from farmers for its Kolkata store. 

The ruling Left Front partner Forward Bloc is opposing its bid to renew the license as it is of the opinion that this would affect small traders.

"We had a positive meeting with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Agriculture minister Naren De. We have been asked to wait till Sunday for a decision on the renewal of the APMC licence," Managing Director Metro Cash & Carry India Pvt Ltd Martin Dlouhi told reporters in Kolkata.

"We will announce our next course of action on Monday. We will not open the store without the licence," he said.

Metro planned to sell 18,000 food and non-food items and invest $120 million in West Bengal with the opening of four stores, he said.