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Appointment of Horticulture Price Commission sought

SHIMLA: The strong farm lobby of apple growers in the hill State of Himachal Pradesh which has now forged a confederation of fruit and vegetable growers has demanded appointment of a Horticulture Price Commission for its produce.

Addressing a press conference here, confederation convenor Ravinder Chauhan and secretary Sanjay Chauhan said the proposed Commission should be created on the lines of the National Agriculture Price Commission and apples and other fruits should be brought under the market intervention scheme.

They also said they would not allow rampant privatisation of the existing horticultural infrastructure in the State.

The confederation, consisting of smaller independent farmers’ associations and representing the fruit and vegetable growing districts of Himachal, would oppose privatisation of the only carton making factory at Gumma in Shimla district.

The carton unit in the public sector which had come into existence after the government ban on green felling and wooden boxes had successfully offered packaging material to the apple growers at a subsidised rate for a long time.

But the production was stopped during the previous Congress regime since large-scale bungling was noticed and a number of private players making cartons started catering to the need of apple growers.

The present BJP-led Government in the State plans to transfer the Gumma factory to some private concern on the plea that the unit was running at a loss of more than Rs.6 crore. The farmers on the other hand have vehemently opposed the idea and said, “The Government which is talking of carbon credits nowadays should run this unit since trees and wood worth Rs.200 crore are saved every year if the unit is run properly.” They have alleged that the private packaging material is not up to the mark and their produce gets a lower market price if packed in that. The Gumma factory was supplying quality wrapping material for the apples, they maintained, warning that they would launch an agitation if the unit is not resumed immediately.

The farmers have also demanded proper transport arrangements, a clear procurement policy, a transparent commission procedure for the middlemen, sufficient subsidised supply of fertilisers and pesticides and a crop insurance scheme for all the fruits produced in the State.

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