Calcutta, June 15: The Forward Bloc may be against Reliance’s entry into farm products retail in Bengal, but it wants public-private partnership in the sector.

Private participation is the only way to improve farmers’ access to markets in a state where the marketing infrastructure continues to be poor, the Bloc secretary said today.

Debabrata Biswas suggested that the laws governing farm product marketing in Bengal should be changed to allow the private sector a role in the business.

“But we are opposed to corporate monopoly in retail, particularly relating to farm products,’’ Biswas said.

He backed the Bloc state unit’s opposition to the Bengal government’s efforts to make room for Reliance farm-produce hubs that will feed the company’s retail outlets. Reliance has proposed six 100-acre distribution centres that will procure farm produce and double as “food-processing units” to add value to them.

“We are not opposed to private investment in the food-processing industry. But we do not want Reliance to procure farm produce directly from the farmers.”

Biswas said Bengal lacks the infrastructure that ensures proper movement of farm produce from the fields to the markets. “This can’t be developed without the support of the private sector.’’

He said changes in the state farm products marketing law should make room for such cooperation. “These changes are long overdue.”