Apple growers get relief as Himachal Govt removes Grade C procurement cap, directs withdrawal of notices

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday said that the procurement of Grade C apple under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) will not be capped, and notices sent to apple growers who sold over 100 bags under the scheme will be withdrawn.

“I want to clarify that there’s no plan to cap procurement under the scheme. There is some speculation that the government will procure a maximum of 100 bags from one grower. It’s not true. The government will procure all Grade C apples from growers,” the Chief Minister said.

Further, Sukhu announced that notices sent to growers who sold over 100 bags under the scheme last year would be withdrawn. “I will sit down with officials and ask them not to send any notices to the growers. The growers will not be harassed,” the CM said. He, however, added that growers will have to upload their land revenue record on MIS portal from this season.

The SDMs in apple-growing areas have issued notices in cases where the quantity of Grade C apples sold under the MIS was found to be at variance with the grower’s landholding. The growers have been asked to explain the discrepancy by producing land ownership and crop production records.

The notices had left the growers annoyed, with many alleging that the move was an attempt to weaken the MIS.