Include our demands in manifestoes: HP apple growers to parties

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[google-translator]

With a few days left for assembly elections, the Sanyukt Kisan Manch — a conglomerate of different farm unions — have demanded the political parties to incorporate the long-pending demands of Himachal Pradesh farmers in their manifestoes.

Apple growers had taken to roads in September against spiralling prices of the packaging material and shortage of fertilisers. The rise in the cost of fungicides, insecticides and other chemicals used for spraying in orchards also remains one of the biggest issues of the apple growers.

The fruit growers this time bore the brunt of adverse weather conditions as well. Many middle belts and high-altitude apple-growing regions were pounded by hails resulting in crop loss.

After increase in GST up to 18%, the prices of apple cartons spiked up to 20 while prices of trays have risen up to 200 per bundle. The prices of fertilisers have shot up from 70% to 100%.

The farmers have been opposing the open market system which they felt was only benefiting big corporations while the growers were suffering. The 6,000-crore apple business in Himachal, which mostly runs on a free-market model, was dealt a major setback right at beginning of the season when Adani group, a big corporate buyer in Himachal Pradesh’s apple market, announced its opening price for A-grade premium quality apples at just 72/kg, much lower than the 88/kg it offered last year. This led to a disruption in the entire market.

“Growers incurred heavy losses this year due to the policies of the government. We have been demanding the government to at least ponder over 20-point charter we had submitted. It is not bothered about the growers,” said SKM convener Harish Chauhan.

“The government is ignorant towards our demand,” said SKM co-convener Sanjay Chauhan. “ Farmers will support the party which meets our demands,” he added.

Their major demands include the withdrawal of GST on packaging material that has been increased from 6% to 18%. The grading packaging houses have increased the prices of carton packaging from 180 last year to 250 this year. Apple growers are also demanding the government to fully implement the Marketing Intervention Scheme (MIS) on the analogy of Kashmir and fix support prices for apples according to the quality of the fruits. They demanded 60, 44 and 24 for A, B, and C grade fruit, respectively.

The growers also want a ban on the import of foreign apples and exclusion of the crop from the Free Trade Treaty. The Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) law should be strictly implemented in the marketing markets of the state, they demanded, besides open bidding in the mandis and abolition of arbitrary recovery being done illegally from the farmers.

They want the government to immediately stop the collection of market fees from farmers at various barriers in the state. Their demands also include sale of apple and other crops on the basis of weight in all mandis of the state; restoration of subsidy being given on fertilisers, seeds, insecticides, fungicides and other items; and availability of quality items at affordable rates through agriculture and horticulture departments.


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