Rathore slams Jai Ram govt for ‘neglecting’ apple growers

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Kuldeep Singh Rathore on Tuesday slammed the state government for “neglecting” the horticulture sector, which, he said, had led to a drastic fall in apple prices

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Kuldeep Singh Rathore on Tuesday slammed the state government for “neglecting” the horticulture sector, which, he said, had led to a drastic fall in apple prices.

Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore. (HT Photo)

Rathore, in a statement issued here, said, “Apple growers are not getting the right prices for their produce. They have already suffered huge losses due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm this year. The prices they are fetching now are not even enough to cover the input costs.”

The Congress president alleged that the government has given traders and commission agents a free hand in the “organised loot” of apple growers.He said the prices of apples should be decided through open bidding.

Increased transportation and packaging costs

Rathore said bad roads in the apple belt were resulting in high transportation cost and further, the unprecedented increase in cost of fertilisers, pesticides and packaging material had dealt a severe blow to apple growers.

Rathore alleged that despite the assurances given by horticulture minister Mahender Singh Thakur, the prices of packaging material, including cartons and trays, had increased manifold.

The Congress chief demanded the state government procure apple crop through National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) on the lines of Jammu and Kashmir. He demanded that the government also fix a minimum support price (MSP) for table fruit and good quality apples. For this, he demanded, that the HPMC should increase the number of procurement centres so that the growers can be saved from financial loss.