The Kisan Sangharsh Samiti (KSS) has demanded the state government to release the payments of ‘C’ grade apple purchased through the Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC) and the Himachal Pradesh State Co-operative Marketing & Consumers Federation (HIMFED) from farmers under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS).

In a press statement issued here, former Shimla mayor and KSS convener Sanjay Chauhan alleged that during the byelections, the state government had announced that it would pay for the apple procured under the MIS immediately and the provision for the same has been made.

However, the state government has failed to release the payments to the farmers and has failed to implement its own decision, he said.

Chauhan said this year the government had procured a record 74,000 metric tonnes of ‘C’ grade apples worth ₹ 72 crores through the HPMC and HIMFED.

He said this year the apple crop was hit by hailstorms and unseasonal rains. “About 50% of the crop was affected and the farmers suffered losses up to ₹ 1,500 crore,” he added.

Due to the damage, the farmers were forced to sell apples under the MIS as the market crashed, he said, adding that many farmers sold their entire crop under the MIS.

“The government has neither provided any relief to the orchardists to compensate for their losses nor it is releasing the payments due to which they were finding it hard to meet day-to-day expenses,” said Chauhan.

“Marginal and small farmers are the worst hit and if the government failed to pay their dues, there will be a livelihood crisis for them,” he added.

Chauhan said the farmers also have to pay bank loans and for the input items for the next crop.

So, it has become necessary that the government pays the pending dues at the earliest. “The anti-farmer policies of the Centre and state governments have adversely hit the agriculture sector in the country. On the one hand, the input cost has been rising, while on the other hand farmers are not even getting a reasonable price for their produce,” he said.

He alleged that the APMC Act was openly violated in markets and commission agents and buyers were not paying farmers the actual price for their produce.

He said instead of paying the farmers in cash, the HPMC also forces them to get unnecessary items for pending dues.

If the government does not immediately clear the arrears of the apple growers, the KSS will mobilise the farmers and launch a stir.

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