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Monsoon fury: Damaged road infra leaves apple growers worried
The blocked roads and National Highways are making it difficult for the growers to transport their produce to the market
Damage of the road infrastructure due to recent monsoon mayhem in Himachal has left the apple growers worried.
The blocked roads and National Highways are making it difficult for the growers to transport their produce to the market.
Staring at losses, the Sanyukt Kissan Manch, had urged the Union government to implement market Intervention schemes to safeguard the interest of the farmers’ organisations. They are seeking restoration of roads as a top priority.
The horticulture department has advised the farmers to delay plucking until roads reopen but the orchardists feel that prolonged delays could reduce the fruit’s market value and quality.
Horticulture contributes more than 20% to Himachal Pradesh’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and apple farming remains its backbone as apple cultivation makes up nearly 85% of the state’s total fruit output. In the hill state, the apple industry is worth around ₹5,000 crore each year. A vital economic pillar for the state, it sustains the livelihoods of over 1.5 lakh families that are directly dependent on apple cultivation.
Co-convenor of the Samyukt Kisan Manch, Sanjay Chauhan, urged the Union government to invoke the market intervention scheme (MIS) – a Central government scheme that was started in 1987-88 to safeguard the interests of farmers. “For the last one month we are urging the Centre to invoke MIS to safeguard the interest of the farmers under which the Union government authorises a nodal agency that will purchase the apples. The apples of grade A should be purchased for ₹80 per kg, grade B for ₹60 per kg and grade C for ₹40 per kg.
“In 2019 also the scheme was invoked for Kashmir. Looking at the losses we demand that the Centre allocate atleast ₹15,000 crore for the same to protect the interest of families involved with apple cultivation,” he said.
Harish Chauhan, president of the HP fruit, flower, and vegetable producers association and convener of the Sanyukt Kissan Manch, said, “As per the preliminary estimate about 4 to 5 lakh boxes are stuck either in the orchards or the roads owing to the Monsoon inflicted devastation”.
“The kind of loss that has been inflicted by the rains on the infrastructure has taken the state back by 20 years. As on date the biggest challenge for farmers with broken road is to take their produce to the market as most link roads are damaged and the farmers are unable to take the fruit to main roads”, said Chauhan, while adding, “The preliminary estimate of ₹1,000 crore losses is what we are facing as on date.”
He added that since the beginning of the season so far 1.40 lakh boxes has been sent to market while 30,000 metric ton had reached the market intervention scheme collection centre of HPMC. “But still there are estimated 4 lakh to 5 lakh boxes in the orchards awaiting to be lifted,” added Chauhan.
Adding, Chetan Bragta an apple grower and BJP spokesperson said, “The growers have been facing challenges from early leaf fall, fruit dropping and virus affecting the traditional varieties apples which led to the crashing of prices. Around 80% leaf fall affected quality in terms of size and colour of apple, fruit dropping has happened in large numbers and rotting of fruits owing to the rains.”
“The apple that was sold for anywhere between July to August at price of ₹2,500 to 3,000 per box last year was sold at just ₹1,500 this year,” he added.
Meanwhile, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Vikramaditya Singh said that 1,380 machines pressed to service across districts to restore blocked roads. However, fresh landslides triggered by continuous rain are hampering progress. He assured growers that efforts are underway to clear roads at the earliest to prevent further losses.
Support has also been sought from hydropower projects operating in the state, whose machinery has been deployed, and the NHAI is coordinating restoration on key stretches, he said.
“Particularly, the Kiratpur–Mandi and Mandi–Manali sections, under NHAI, and other key four-lane stretches like Parwanoo–Solan are under restoration at full strength. The aim is to deploy maximum resources wherever there are major disruptions,” Singh said.
