Roads damaged yet 1.73 cr apple boxes reach markets in 3 months

Himachal Pradesh has been experiencing heavy rainfall and roads have suffered extensive damage but still 1.73 crore apple boxes reached various markets in the past three months.

According to official figures, 173,74,204 apple boxes of 20 kg each reached various markets between June 27 and September 15, marking a significant increase over 123,18,924 boxes reaching markets during the same period last year.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to restore blocked and damaged roads to prevent inconvenience and losses to apple growers. The damaged roads were either restored or temporarily opened by working round the clock to ensure smooth transportation of apple during its peak season.

Meanwhile, the fruit processing plants of the Himachal Pradesh Marketing Corporation (HPMC) at Parala (Shimla), Parwanoo (Solan) and Jarol (Mandi) are operating at full capacity, processing nearly 400 tonnes of apple every day. Despite adverse weather conditions, the state government is making every possible effort to support the apple growers, ensuring that they do not miss out on any financial benefit.

According to a government spokesperson, from the Shimla and Kinnaur Agriculture Produce Marketing Corporation (APMC), 109,86,863 boxes were sold against 77,40,164 boxes last year. From the Mandi APMC, 16,81,055 boxes were sold during the past three months compared to 89,19,893 boxes last year. The Solan APMC recorded the sale of 24,90,835 boxes against 22,18,685 boxes, while the Kullu APMC registered the sale of 20,88,374 boxes compared to 14,03,392 boxes in 2024.

Besides ensuring smooth transportation of apple, the government has also extended benefits to orchardists under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS). Through the HPMC, apple procurement has crossed 55,000 metric tonnes, which is more than double the purchase last year. “The HPMC has set up 274 collection centres where apple procurement is actively underway. However, due to road blockages in several areas, trucks are still unable to reach some centres,” the spokesperson adds.

The Chief Minister has ordered the deployment of additional trucks for the timely lifting of apple. “The state government is fully committed to safeguarding the interests of apple growers and ensuring their well-being. We have introduced universal cartons to guarantee remunerative prices and put an end to the exploitation of horticulturists,” he says.