Himachal apple growers protest, seek GST hike rollback

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 11

To register their protest against the recent hike in the cost of cartons and other packaging material, apple growers took to the streets at Rohru and Theog today. “Anger is brewing among apple growers against the government and corrugators for raising the cost of packaging material,” said Sanyukt Kisan Manch co-convenor Sanjay Chauhan.

“Over 2,000 plus growers from various apple associations joined the protest at Rohru. Such a large gathering when the full-fledged harvesting season is just round the corner will send a stern message to the government,” he said.

Rising input costs

Subsidies on pesticides have been withdrawn and the cost of fertilisers has gone up. Input costs like labour and transport go up almost every year. The only thing that’s going down is the price of apple and our profits. Sanjeev Thakur, president, Chuwara apple valley society

While the hike in the cost of packaging material is the immediate trigger for the protest, the growers have been raising the issue of rising input costs and declining profits for a while now. “Subsidies on pesticides have been withdrawn and the cost of fertilizers has gone up significantly. Besides, the other input costs like labour and transport go up almost every year. The only thing that’s going down is the price of the apple and our profits,” said Sanjeev Thakur, president, Chuwara Apple Valley Society.

Leading the protest at Theog, CPM MLA Rakesh Singha demanded immediate withdrawal of the enhanced GST on the packaging material.

The government has raised the GST on cartons from 12 per cent to 18 per cent, leading to an increase in the cost of packaging material. “Even as developed countries like the USA are increasing subsidies, the government is withdrawing all kind of subsidies available to the growers,” he said.

The other demands of the protesters include offering the same price to the growers of the state that is offered to growers in Kashmir through the Market Intervention Scheme. Besides, the protesters also demanded the implementation of the APMC Act strictly.

“If the government fails to respond positively over the next few days, a larger protest will be held at block level on July 20,” said Chauhan.

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