Apple Growers’ Association prepare 17 points demand charter to address issues affecting farmers
Apple Growers’ Association or Seb Utpadak Sangh resolved to prepare 17 points demand charter to address various issues affecting Apple Growers in the state
Before the apple season, SUS convened a state-level conversation with the Apple Growers at Kalibari Hall in Shimla today.
In which apple growers from all over the state participated.
Union President Sohan Thakur said that the 17-point demand charter of the gardeners is being discussed at the conference.
The Growers unanimously decided that mandatory implementation of Universal Carton, a continuation of the Mandi Mediation Scheme (MIS), the price of A grade apples at Rs 80, the demand to fix the price of a B grade at Rs.60/kg and C grade at Rs.30/kg would be placed before the government.
Apart from this, the demand for payment of dues of apples taken in Mandi Madhyastha Yojana (MIS), implementation of APMC Act, 2005, Legal Metrology Act, 2009, and Passengers and Goods Taxation Act, 1955 is prominent.
Mr Thakur said that the Modi government is running away from the MIS as it has made a budgetary provision of token Money of Rs one lakh for MIS and the state government is not in a position to pay the pending due.
Former MLA Rakesh Singha said that big corporate houses are trying to make horticulture and Agriculture unprofitable and productive and efforts are being made to ruin the apple growers.
He said that Apple Growers should fight with a united face as various Market forces and corporate houses are trying to create an artificial slump in the market.
He said that Farmers have to wait for years to get payment for their produce in the market. He said that Commission agents didn’t obey any act and Farmers had to strongly fight a struggle to get their dues at the time of crop sale.
Himachal Pradesh Kisan Sabha President Dr. Kuldeep Singh Tanwar said that Farmers are not united on the issue of burning issues and Seb Utpadak Sangh should work to create Awareness on each issue.
He said that farmers should establish unity on the basis of their cropping pattern and various organizations like Seb Utpadak Sangh, Tomato growers, and Milk producers are fighting against the market forces which are trying hard to compete with them.
Former president of Kissan Sabha and progressive farmer Dr. Onkar Shad stated that farmers should sensitize their members to be actively involved in the fight for getting fair prices for crops. He said that Farmers and apple growers turn up in the block-level demonstration to press 17 point demand charter on July 6, 2023.
