Shimla: Universal carton for apples from this season

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 25

Having announced the use of universal carton for the packaging of apple from this season, the government has now issued a notification fixing the number of apples and layers to be packed in a universal box, having an average weight of around 20 kg.

The universal box has been introduced in place of telescopic cartons, which could be expanded for adjusting additional layers of fruit in a box. As a result, the telescopic cartons could carry up to 35-36 kg of fruit instead of 20-22 kg.

A universal carton is a single-piece box and can’t be expanded to adjust additional layers of trays. All the boxes will weigh around 20 kg, regardless of the size of the fruit packed in the box. “Following a demand by the growers, we ordered the sale of apple by weight last season despite opposition from some quarters. Now, we have fulfilled another demand of packaging the fruit in universal carton. This carton will carry around 20kg of fruit. This will benefit the growers a lot in the long run,” said Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi.

On the occasion, Negi slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not keeping the promises he made to the apple growers in the past. “The PM had promised that import duty will be increased on the fruit coming from several countries. However, he didn’t keep his promise. Instead, the import duty on the apple coming from the US has been reduced, which is hurting the apple growers of Himachal, Kashmir and Uttarakhand,” said Negi.

The decision has pleased the apple growers as they had been demanding the use of universal carton for some time now. They would no longer have to pack 30-35 kg of fruit in a box like they had to in telescopic cartons to fetch better rates.

Nevertheless, the growers say the freight should be charged on the basis of weight instead of number of boxes to ensure growers do not suffer any loss.

“For every grower, the number of boxes will increase with the use of universal box. If the freight continues to charged on the basis of number of boxes, the growers will suffer losses. It will have to be charged on the basis of weight,” said Lokender Bisht, president of Progressive Growers Association.

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