Crashing of apple market : SKM to lodge protest at Kotkahi on Sep 13

Seven farmers and apple growers associations would lodge protest at Kotkahi market on Sep 13 on the call of Syunkat Kissan Munch after crashing apple market in the state allegedly on themonopoly of corporate houses, Convener of SKM and former mayor of Shimla Sanjay Chauhan said in a press release issued here today.
Seven apple growers and farmers associations including Kisan Sangarsh Samiti. Progressive Grower Association(PGA), Young Growers Association, , Himachal Pradesh Kissan Sabha, Ghayal Parayvaran Samiti, Bhariya Kissan Union and Apple Grower and seb Utpadak  association have given call of protest on Sep 13.
Zila Parishad member Vishal Sangta President of Kayari Gram Panchayat Durma Chauhanand former Gram Panchayat Pradhan Mr Pawan Chauhan would lead the protest. A 27 member SKM body was also constituted to staged the protest and assembled farmers for the protest.
Mr Chauhan said that farmers involved in agriculture and horticulture activities especially apple and Tomato are deep trouble as they are not getting remunerative prices, MSP and other state sponsored subsidyin the state.
State Government agencies are procuring the apple from small and marginal farmers under MIS but they werenot paid in cash and being paid in form of kinds fixing very nominal prices. The cost of production is increasing on the apple and Tomato crops however the productions and productivity of crops are declining .
” Farmers are cheated in the market and facing exploitation in the hand of middlemen due to apathy of State Government and APMC(Agriculture Produce Market Committee as they were not-being paid in time after selling of their produce and money of them are cheated during the trade and marketing.
APMC are allowing the illicit trades as many fake middleman and quakes are involved in the trade moreover breach of APMC Act 2005 is being made as farmers and apple growers are not being paid on the same day ofselling their corps.
Referring about the entry of big corporate houses like Adani agrifesh, big basket, reliance and Devbhumi etc MrChauhan said that buy projecting or fixing the apple rates middlemen have completely controlled the fruit business as it is neither in favour of farmers nor the consumers. 
Farmers are not being paid in time by the middle man however  the practice of  delayed payment to farmers and missing of middle man is quite common as number of cases complaints are being registered every year during the season.
The deductions of farmers should not be made in the forms of labour charges, discount, slashing, name of bank draft charges and bank draft commission etc. The ministers are trying to meet the middleman in the apple marketshowever the illegal trades are continue which exposed the role and nexus of government and market forces .
The farmers are demanding 20 per cent space in the CA store and implementable of APMC Act 2005 verbatim to stop the delayed and underpayment of farmers in the market. 
Farmers are also seeking to remove the Horticulture Ministers as he is not keen to sort out the apple growers issues and did not understand the logistic of apple trade which renders in livilhood of about four lakh house holds, including traders, middlemen, packers and apple workers beside the apple growers, he added.