HPMC hikes cost of apple cartons

Shimla, June 21

The HPMC has enhanced the cost of the packaging material of apple. “The cost of carton has gone up by around 10-15 per cent. The brown cartons will be available for Rs 54-62, and white cartons will cost anywhere between Rs 60 and 70,” said HPMC General Manager Bhuwan Sharma. “There has been no significant increase in the cost of trays. They will be available for more or less the same price as last year,” he said.

The growers aren’t happy with the hike. “Didn’t the Horticulture Minister promise a few days ago that there would be no price hike this time? Also, the hike is not 10-15 per cent but around 25 per cent. The cartons last year were available for Rs 44-54,” said a grower and Kisan Sabha leader Sanjay Chauhan.

Meanwhile, the efforts to introduce crates as an alternative to cartons for transporting and marketing apple are gaining support of both growers and traders. In a meeting of growers and traders called by the State Agricultural Marketing Board here today, the stakeholders reached a broad consensus on using crates on a trial basis this year in five different mandis in the state. “Even as some traders and growers had some concerns about using crates, the majority is in favour of giving it a try. We will start using the crates by July 10,” said State Agricultural Marketing Board Managing Director Naresh Thakur.

Thakur is hopeful that the IIT-Mandi will come out with better packaging material by next year. “The IIT-Mandi is already working on it. I am sure they will come up with a packaging material that is cost effective as well as eco-friendly,” he said. — TNS