E-Paper
HP apple growers hassled by rains
The recent heavy rainfall, flood and landslides are proving to be a bane for apple growers in Himachal Pradesh as they are unable to transport their produce to the market.
The recent heavy rainfall, triggering flood, landslides and cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh has come as a setback for the apple growers particularly in Kinnaur and Upper Shimla who are unable to transport their produce to the market.
Due to damage in road links like Sangla-Chittkul, Tangling-Purnavi near Recong Peo in Kinnaur and Ghanvi-Ladana-Sudana and Ghanvi-Pancha in Rampur sub-division of Shimla district, thousands of apple boxes were lying stranded.
Their woes have been multiplied as truckers were asking for exorbitant fare to transport the apples to Azadpur market in Delhi.
Satyajit Negi, an orchard owner from Purvani village of Kinnaur told PTI that due to flood in Tangling, apple growers were facing problem to transport to the market over 70,000 boxes of apple in Powari and Purvani.
About 20,000-25,000 apple boxes were lying stranded in Ghanvi village of Shimla, which witnessed devastating cloudburst triggering flash flood on August 14 that washed away several roads.
Horticulture Minister Singhi Ram told PTI on Sunday that the government was aware of the woes of the apple growers due to natural calamity.
Repair and restoration of roads were on at a war footing to open link roads for movement of apples to the markets.
Besides, government has opened 263 apple collection centres across the state under the market intervention scheme in which culled apple is being purchased at a rate of Rs 4.25 per kg, he added.
