Growers blame merchants for declining apple market

Fruit growers are worried as the cost of production of apples has increased sharply

Fruit growers on Wednesday expressed serious concern on the slump in apple markets across the state and country. The Kissan Sabha Fruit Growers Association demanded the state government take action to save apple-growers from being cheated by merchants and wholesale apple buyers.

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Theog’s legislator and president of HP Apple Growers Committee Rakesh Singha said, “Although there is no glut in the market, but the price of the fruit has witnessed a sharp downward slide which has not been witnessed in many years. The government must recognise this, make a correct analysis of the situation and take steps, both short and long term, to overcome it in the short run and long run. But state government is not serious about issues of fruit growers and they have no knowledge about fruit trade.”

The fall in the value of rupee in relation to US dollar which will make imported apples costlier and the current situation in Kashmir which has affected production and supply of Kashmiri apples is favourable to Himachal apple growers. He said despite these favourable conditions the price of apples has fallen beyond the expectation of all economists.

“The present slump has been created by traders with the sole motive of storing the fruit for which Controlled Atmosphere (CA) technology is available today. Apple is being purchased on an average of ₹25 to ₹35 per kg and will be stored for a period of five months which will then be sold will at ₹90 to ₹120 per kg thereby earning windfall profits at the cost of distress sale to farmers,” he said.

Singha said, “It is shocking that the government has failed to create post-harvesting technology in the state, and the CA stores of the HPMC in Jarol Tikkar, Oddi, Gumma and Patalikuhl has been rented to companies and commission agents. Despite this successive governments swear that they work in the interest and favour of farmers.”

The association also lashed out at government’s regulating agencies which are failing to the Himachal Pradesh Agricultural and Horticultural Produce Marketing (Development and Regulation) Act 2005. This is a fact recognised by the agriculture minister, too. Commission agents are overcharging to the tune of ₹10 to ₹100 per box in different markets. The Act provides only ₹5 as deductions from farmers. Large numbers of commission agents are operating without license and the procedure for providing a license is also not transparent.

Fruit growers are worried as the cost of production of apples has increased sharply. The association has also alleged that packing trays are only being sold in ‘black’ and government has not set up an agency to control black marketing.

The association appealed to farmers to intensify their struggles to defend their interests for which they were urged to participate in the protest to be held in Narkanda on September 23.