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Himachal govt-arhtiya standoff leaves apple growers in lurch
Arhtiyas shut down mandis across Himachal amid the harvest season, bat for going back to old guidelines
In a surprising turn of events, the arhtiyas (wholesale buyers) have gone on a strike in the middle of the apple harvest season sans notice, leaving hundreds of growers in the lurch.
The shops have been closed down, citing the government’s decision to mandate selling apples in universal cartons of 24-kg each.
Earlier, there was a tendency to package more than the prescribed layers of the apple to increase the weight of the box. The same was highly unfavourable to the growers.
Apple growers are of the opinion that the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) is hands and gloves with arhtiyas and are not ready to follow the latest guidelines.
They have, however, found support from horticulture minister Jagat Singh Negi, who remains steadfast on the decision to sell apples by weight and has stated that the government will not relent to the pressure from the traders. He went on to accuse some middlemen of being influenced by political parties and engaging in deceptive practices.
The situation remains tense in the state in view of the standoff, with both sides refusing to relent at this point.
Chopal emerges as epicentre
Push for the strike came to shove when officials from Theog’s sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), tehsildars and APMC secretary attempted to bring arhtiyas on board the new guidelines in Chopal. Refusing to do so, the arhtiyas forwarded their concerns to the fellow middlemen and the mandi were shut down across Rohru-Kalka belt altogether.
Speaking of the developments, Mahendra Verma of the Apple Producer Association in Theog said the arhtiyas were trying to mount pressure on the government right in the middle of the harvest season.
Notably, the state government had held multiple rounds of meetings with all stakeholders, including horticulturists, arhtiyas and horticulture associations before implementing the decision to sell apples by weight. At the time, all stakeholders had given their go-ahead for the universal cartons, but the situation changed when large quantities of apples started flooding the mandis — causing middlemen to resist the new regulations.
Voicing their concerns, Himachal Pradesh Arhtiyas Association president Harish Thakur argued that the mandis lack sufficient space to accommodate the stock being sold per kg. He contended that the decision is being imposed on them and urges the government to allow the method being used earlier for sales for now and defer the implementing universal cartons to next year.
Will take legal action: Horticulture minister
Unimpressed by the argument, the horticulture minister highlighted that the middlemen had initially agreed to the new selling system. He warns against such protests and strikes, saying legal action will be taken to enforce the APMC Act and the latest guidelines.
Samyut Kisan Manch, a conglomerate of 14 apple growers’ organisations, also accused the arhtiyas of employing pressure tactics and demanded strict action against traders who refuse to comply with the government’s decision.
Selling apples by weight had been a long-standing demand from growers, and the government’s decision to implement the same had delighted the farmers. The current standoff, however, underscores the challenges of implementation.
