Seeking Minimum Support Price for Himachal farmers SKM held demonstrations in Shimla district

Apple Growers and Farmers belonging to Syunkat Kisan Munch held demonstrations at Shimla, Theog, Narkanda and Jubbal-Kotkhai of the district seeking Minimum Support Price (MSP) on the Apple crop expressing their anguish over monopoly of middleman and Corporate houses. Number of farmer staged dharna-demonstration across the state on September 13. Report coming here said that  Apple growers all over the state gathered at the block, tehsil and sub-division level and expressed their anger.

In Shimla, various organizations took out a procession from office of the Deputy Commission to Sher-e-Punjab. A  memorandum was also submitted to Chief Minister through the Deputy Commissioner. Addressing the Protest Himachal Kisan Sabha General Secretary Dr. Onkar Shad said that the state government is working to rob the farmers by colluding with the capitalists. 

Dr. Shad said that even APMC has failed to protect the rights of the farmers. Due to the anti-farmer and anti-horticultural polices of the government, Rs 5000 Cr  Apple economy are on verge of collapse. Small producer are being hit the most by the policies of the government, Dr. Omkar Shad said that the cost price has multiplied. The prices of medicines, fertilizers, transportation, storage, packaging, everything have gone up. “There has been an increase of nine times in fertilizers and up to 20 times in medicines.”Dr. Shad has demanded from the government that it should protect the interest of  small and marginal farmers, instead of  destroying them.

State President of Himachal Kisan Sabha, Dr. Kuldeep Singh Tanwar said that BJP always chants the slogan of one nation one legislation but discriminates in giving support price to farmers and orchardists. Dr. Tanwar said that for the last two years in Jammu and Kashmir, government procurement of apples is being done at the rate of Rs.60, Rs.44 and Rs.24 under the Market Intervention Scheme( Mandi Arbitration Scheme) whereas in Himachal, the government buys only culled fruits on the cost of which is Rs. Nine per kg but the sad thing is that even this money is not given by the government to the producers on time. Dr. Tanwar said that the vegetable growers are also in a similar condition and every year one or the other vegetable gets zero price. Tomato, Cabbage, Capsicum, Bean sometimes get such a low price that even the cost of transporting them to the market is not met. Dr. Tanwar said that the Himachal government, comparing itself with Kerala, should know that Kerala has fixed a minimum purchase price for Rs 30 per kg of its fruit and vegetable products, which has benefited the farmers of Kerala. 

“The product is now selling at good prices in the market also. The arhtiyas are forced to pay the right price to the farmers.”
Chaman Rakesh Azta, secretary of Jai Kisan Andolan also addressed the gathering. State Treasurer of Himachal Kisan Sabha Satyawan Pundir, Govind Chataranta, Krishnanand, Jaishiv Thakur, Suresh, Dr. Reena Singh, Seema Chauhan, Himi Devi, Anil Thakur, Gulab Singh Negi, Anil Panwar, Jagmohan Thakur, Sunil Vashist, Dr. Farmers including Vijay Kaushal, Pawan Sharma, Balbir Parashar participated.

Main demands of farmers are to declare support price for all crops to declare the value of apples of grades A, B, C under the arbitration scheme on the lines of Kashmir. Strictly implement the APMC Act and ensure the sale of farmers’ produce on the same day. Get the money of the gardeners trapped with the arhtiy as paid. Ensure provision of 25 percent storage apple to the producers as per the terms of construction at the time of construction in all CA stores including Adani. The government should give 90 percent grant to farmers cooperative societies to make them CA stores. Withdraw the increase in the prices of cartons and trays used in the packaging of apples, other fruits and flowers. The government should compensate for the crops damaged due to drought, hailstorm, rain and snow. Orders should be made to the mandis to buy apples and other crops by weight. Payment of apples purchased by HPMC and HIMFED in previous years should be made immediately.
Subsidies on fertilizers, seeds, medicines, insecticides, fungicides should be restored . Outstanding subsidy of agricultural implements and hail net should be given immediately, farmers leader added.