Shimla, Sep 7 (FN Agency) Seven farmers and apple growers associations would lodge protest at Kotkhai market on Sep 13 on the call of Syunka Kisan Manch after crashing the apple market in the state allegedly on the monopoly of corporate houses, Convener of SKM and former mayor of Shimla Sanjay Chauhan said in a statement issued here on Tuesday. Seven apple growers and farmers associations including Kisan Sangarsh Samiti. Progressive Grower Association (PGA), Young Growers Association, , Himachal Pradesh Kisan Sabha, Ghayal Parayvaran Samiti, Bhartiya Kisan Union and Apple Grower and seb Utpadak association have given call of protest on Sep 13. Zila Parishad member Vishal Sangta, President of Kayari Gram Panchayat Durma Chauhan and former Gram Panchayat Pradhan Mr Pawan Chauhan would lead the protest.
A 27 member SKM body was also constituted to stage the protest and assembled farmers for the protest. Mr Chauhan said that farmers involved in agriculture and horticulture activities especially apple and Tomato are in deep trouble as they are not getting remunerative prices, MSP and other state sponsored subsidies in the state. State Government agencies are procuring the apple from small and marginal farmers under MIS but they were not paid in cash and are being paid in form of kinds fixing very nominal prices. The cost of production is increasing on the apple and Tomato crops however the production and productivity of crops are declining.
”Farmers are cheated in the market and facing exploitation in the hand of middlemen due to apathy of State Government and APMC (Agriculture Produce Market Committee as they were not-being paid in time after selling of their produce and money from them are cheated during the trade and marketing. APMC is allowing the illicit trades as many fake middlemen and quakes are involved in the trade, moreover breach of APMC Act 2005 is being made as farmers and apple growers are not being paid on the same day of selling their crops. Referring about the entry of big corporate houses like Adani agrifresh, big basket, reliance and Devbhumi etc Mr Chauhan said that by projecting or fixing the apple rates middlemen have completely controlled the fruit business as it is neither in favour of farmers nor the consumers. Farmers are not being paid in time by the middle man, however the practice of delayed payment to farmers and missing middle man is quite common as a number of cases complaints are being registered every year during the season. The deductions of farmers should not be made in the forms of labour charges, discount, slashing, name of bank draft charges and bank draft commission etc.