Notices issued to traders for buying apple at box rates, govt targets purchase of 1.43 lakh tonnes

The Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee has issued show cause notices to traders who are purchasing apple and pear in terms of box rates instead of per kilogramme, Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi said on Friday.

The notices have been issued to two violators for breaching the provisions of Himachal Pradesh Agricultural and Horticultural Produce Marketing (Development and Regulations) Act, 2005, said an official statement issued here.

One of the violators was doing business in Market Yard, Parala without a licence from the Agriculture Department, while a violator was not following the government guidelines for sale and purchase of fruits in terms of weight in Market Yard, Rohru, the minister said.

On July 22, the minister had made it clear that apple would be sold and purchased as per weight (kg) and not as per boxes and warned that arthiyas (commission agents) violating the norms would face strict action, including the cancellation of licence.

Earlier, apples were sold in terms of per box containing 20-24 kg each, but this year the new system of selling apples in per kg was introduced by the state government after consultations with all the stakeholders following the demand of apple growers.

A uniform carton (24 kg) for sale would be introduced next year. The Apple industry is worth Rs 5,000 crore in Himachal Pradesh.

Meanwhile, the state government has enhanced the minimum support price under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for apple, mango, kinnow, malta and orange from Rs 10.50 to Rs 12 per kg.

In a separate statement issued on Friday, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that 1,43,778 metric tonnes of apples would be procured under the market intervention scheme.

He said that 312 procurement centres will be established as per the demand of the fruit growers and the move would provide additional benefit of around Rs 24 crore to apple growers.

The state government has abolished the distinction among seedling, grafted and kacha aachari mango for procurement purposes and set a uniform rate for each variety.

Earlier there was a provision to procure different varieties of mango at different rates but the present government has decided to make the procurement rate uniform for all three varieties and it will be procured at the rate of Rs 12 per kg, he added.

Apple growers are also worried over transportation of the crop as several roads linked to apple growing areas are blocked due to landslides triggered by rains.