Rising input costs have Himachal apple growers on warpath

Shimla, July 20

The apple growers’ protest is getting bigger and wider by the day. On Wednesday, a large number of apple growers took to the streets at various places in upper Shimla despite heavy rain to protest the steady rise in the input costs of apple cultivation. Various apple growers’ organisations came together under the banner of the Sanyukt Kisan Manch at Rohru, Theog, Rampur, Kotkhai, Narkanda, Nirmand and Kinnaur. They decided to hold the next protest at the Secretariat in Shimla on August 5. “Growers from all apple-growing areas will join the protest to wake up the government from its slumber,” said Sanjay Chauhan, co-convener of the manch.

What they want

• Withdrawal of hike in the GST on cartons from 12 to 18%
• Subsidy on fertilisers and packing material
• Introduction of Kashmir-like MIS scheme
• Clearance of payments by HPMC and Himfed
• Strict implementation of the APMC Act
• No collection of charges at Shoghi barrier

Besides, opposition parties such as the Congress and AAP have also picked up the issue and have been organising protests and press conferences in support of the apple growers. “Compared to the July 11 protest, the participation was much bigger today and the protests have spread to newer places. It’s a wake-up call for the government to take the apple growers seriously,” said Chauhan.

Apart from the steadily increasing input costs, the latest being the sharp increase in the cost of packaging material due to the 6 per cent increase in the GST, the growers are upset over “the indifference of the government”. The growers seem particularly angry with Horticulture Minister Mahender Singh. Slogans were raised against the minister during the protest today at most places. “The government’s indifference is causing resentment and anger among the growers. If the government still fails to take note of the agitation, it has the potential of snowballing into the 1987 and 1990 agitations,” said Lokinder Bisht, president of the Progressive Growers Association. “Those two agitations had started from Rohru, and this agitation too has started from Rohru,” said Bisht.

At Theog, CPM MLA Rakesh Singha urged all opposition parties to rise above political considerations and join the fight of the apple growers. “We can’t allow the government to destroy the apple industry. The government will see the strength of the apple growers on August 5, nothing can stop them now,” he said.