THE Himachal Kissan  Sabha an affiliate of the AIKS has decided to hold a strong protest demonstration on October 16 at Narkanda in Shimla district. The reasons for the protest are; (a) against the loot of the fruit commission agents who have not paid money to the apple growers of the region and (b) against the inept government of the state for not intervening in the market because of which the apple producers are forced for distress sale. People from adjoining places like Rampur, Nankhari, Kotgarh, Kumarsain, Nirmand, Ani, Karsog etc., shall participate in this demonstration. This decision was taken in a meeting held Narkanda on October 3.

The HKS has stated that it is deeply concerned and disturbed to record the major economy(apple)  of the farmers in the state is passing  through one of the worst  crises  in recent years. The apple farmers are being forced to make distress sale of their fruit. It is a unique situation, though there is no glut in the market, but yet the price of the fruit has taken a sharp downward slide not witnessed in the last many years. The state government needs to recognise this fact, make a correct analysis of the situation and take steps both short term and long term to overcome it in the short run and long run.

The present slump has been created by the traders with the sole motive of storing the fruit for which CA (controlled atmosphere) technology is available today.  Apple is being purchased on an average  of Rs 25 to Rs 35 per kg and will be stored for a period  of five months and will be  sold for a minimum  of Rs 90 to Rs120 per kg thereby earning windfall  profits at the cost of the distress  sale of the farmers. It is interesting to note the cost of storing for five months does not come to more than Rs 10 to Rs 12 per kg for the entire period. 

The government and its regulating agencies the APMC(Agriculture Produce Market Committee) are failing  to enforce  the Himachal Pradesh Agricultural and Horticultural Produce Marketing ( Development and Regulation)Act 2005. The commission agents  are overcharging  to the tune of Rs 10 to Rs 100 per box in different  markets  based upon their self created  rules and practices. The act however provides only Rs 5 as deductions from the farmers.  The commission  agents  are required  to make  the payments  of the produce  on the very day of the auction  but hundred  of crores of rupees of the farmers  remain  unpaid  for years together.  The normal  practice is the farmers are provided post dated cheques  of two months  date which  now has been  stopped  on the excuse  of online  transfers which  are not being  made. Large number of commission agents are operating  without  license and the procedure for providing a license is also not transparent. Under hand deals are made between the license provider  and license  holder and the ultimate  loser  is the poor  farmer.