Declining profits, mounting challenges to be major poll issues for apple growers

Tribune News Service

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, October 23

Apple growers can upset the applecart of several candidates in the upcoming elections. Unhappy over the declining profits and increasing challenges in the apple industry, they have decided to make apple a major poll issue. And considering that around two lakh households in over 20 Assembly constituencies depend on apple for their livelihood, apple-related issues could be as big a factor as the demand for the restoration of Old Pension Scheme in the upcoming polls.

Sanyukt Kisan Manch has issued an appeal to apple growers to ask the candidates seeking their votes as to what they and their parties have done to protect the interests of apple growers and what are their plans to lift the apple industry out of the current crisis.

“The growers must ask the candidates why the cost of packaging material is rising so much, why the cost of pesticides and fertilizers has almost doubled over the last few years, why there’s no MSP for apple and will they implement the 20-point charter of the growers?” said SKM convener Harish Chauhan.

A non-political group of over 25 apple growers’ associations, SKM spearheaded the largest apple agitation since 1990 a while back. Despite a few meetings with the government and protests, the growers feel nothing concrete came out of it. So there’s resentment among apple growers, at least among those associated with SKM, against the government.

“The apple industry has seen tough times over the last few years. While the input costs have shot through the roof, the cheap import from Iran and Turkey have increased manifold, which has broken the back of the local apple growers. Besides, infrastructural facilities like roads and mandis have also not improved,” said Lokender Bisht, president of the Progressive Growers Association.

In this backdrop, the BJP candidates will start with a disadvantage in the constituencies dominated by apple growers. They have the onerous task of explaining the government’s “indifferent handling of apple issues and agitation” and then coming up with a vision to protect the interest of apple growers. The Congress candidates, too, will not have it easy.

“It’s not that only this government has failed to live up to the expectations of the apple growers. No government over the last many decades has given horticulture sector the importance it deserves,” said Chauhan. “This time, however, apple growers are more organized, and will not let any party take us for granted.”

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