Curbs hinder direct sale of cherry to pvt companies

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“The private buyers — Reliance, Big Basket, All Fresh — are in touch with us but they could not reach the fields as they fear they may be put under quarantine for 14 days as they need government’s permission to buy cherries.” — Satish Bhalaik, president, Bahli Cooperative Society, Kotgarh

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 10

Even as cherry is fetching good prices in local and Delhi markets, growers fear that markets may crash due to the Covid-19 lockdown that has made the entry of private companies to buy the produce directly from the farmers difficult.

The cherry season has begun on a good note as these have seen sold at Rs 80 per kg box to Rs 180 per kg box for red and black fruit consignment at Dhalli and Parala markets in the last couple of days.

Growers got Rs 300 per kg box to Rs 200 per kg box for the first consignment of 1,700 boxes of a good-quality cherry which was bought by a trader in Delhi market last week, said Satish Bhalaik, president of the Bahli Cooperative Society, Kotgarh, the largest cherry growing area in the state.

He, however, rued that private companies which used to buy fruit directly from the farmers have failed to reach the farm gate so far due to restrictions imposed in view of the lockdown. “Private buyers — Reliance, Big Basket, All Fresh — are in touch with us but they could not reach the fields as they fear they may be put under quarantine for 14 days as they need government’s permission to buy cherries,” he added.

These three companies have expressed their desire to buy about 5,000 boxes per day directly from the growers. The private company has sought permission to transport cherry by chopper from Shimla to Delhi and Mumbai, Bhalaik said.

The cherry production is 50 per cent less this year as compared with the last year. The production may not exceed 7 lakh boxes this year, said a horticultural official.