Farmers across Himachal Pradesh are facing a severe crisis as HPMC has stopped procuring apple sacks since August following monsoon devastation. Thousands of apple sacks are lying on roadsides and rotting in dozens of villages including Kiari village in Kotkhai.
Despite the apple season reaching its final phase, thousands of sacks filled with C-grade apples are lying on roads awaiting HPMC procurement. Due to roads damaged by monsoons, neither bus services are operational nor can any HPMC representatives reach these remote areas.
Balkrishnan Chauhan, an apple grower from Kiari village, said, “Bus services to our village have been suspended for the past month. Thousands of sacks are lying on roadsides and have started rotting. This is not only causing traffic obstruction but also destroying our hard-earned income. The government and HPMC should immediately start procurement of these sacks.”
This problem is not limited to Kiari alone but similar situations are being witnessed in other villages of Kotkhai as well as apple-producing areas of Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, and Kinnaur districts. Apple growers say their economic condition has been severely affected due to HPMC not purchasing sacks since August.
Apple growers are appealing to the government and concerned departments to immediately direct HPMC to start procurement of apple sacks. Along with this, the Public Works Department should immediately repair damaged roads so that access to remote areas becomes possible. Revival of bus services that have been suspended for a month is also necessary so farmers can transport their produce to markets. Growers suggest that if access to main roads is difficult, the government can also establish alternative procurement centers.
Currently, the weather is clear and road repair work can be carried out rapidly. If the government takes immediate action, crops of thousands of farmers can be saved. Apple growers say that if no concrete steps are taken in the next few days, crops worth crores of rupees will be destroyed. This will not only be a personal loss but will also deal a severe blow to the state’s economy.
