Shimla: Ending the confusion on the sale of apples, Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi on Saturday said all fruits especially apples would be sold as per weight (kgs) and not as per boxes and arthiyas (commission agents).
Negi also stated that those violating the norms would face strict action. "Strict action would be taken against those not following the said norms and licenses of arthiyas would be cancelled and they would be chucked out of the Mandis' (fruit markets) in case of violation," he said during his address to the media persons here.
Inviting people from different states to come to Himachal Pradesh and purchase apples, he said that licenses would be given to people willing to deal in apples as the government wants to end the monopoly. He informed that the Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Produce Marketing & Processing Corporation (HPMC) would also buy apples in Parala, Parwanoo and Solan mandis.
Referring to the issue raised by the arthiyas that it is not possible to weigh the produce as there is no space, he said that the state government is willing to give newly constructed mandis in Parwanoo and Parala besides newly constructed mandi at Solan along with 10 bigha of land to accommodate the arthiyas.
As per the old practice, samples are weighed and not the whole produce, Negi said adding that notices have been served to the violators. State Education Minister Rohit Thakur, who hails from Jubbal-Kotkhai, the heart of the apple belt, termed this decision as historic and said that a long pending demand of apple growers has been fulfilled. He also sought the cooperation of the arthiyas.
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Confusion was prevailing over the sale of apples in the state as Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and horticulture minister Jagat Singh Negi took different stands on the issue.
The arhtiyas (commission agents) called off their strike on Thursday on the assurance by the chief minister to sell apples by weight (per kg) or boxes as per the choice of farmers while the Horticulture minister on Friday maintained that apples would be sold as per kg basis only. Earlier, apples were sold on a box basis but this year the new system of selling apples per kg with a cap of 24 kilogrammes has been introduced by the state government after consultations with all the stakeholders. So far, about one lakh boxes of apples have been sold.
A uniform carton (24 kgs) for sale would be introduced next year. Apple is Rs 5,000 crore-economy in Himachal Pradesh. The growers were confused and arhtiyas reportedly purchased apples by boxes on Friday. However, the apple growers had shown full support to the state horticulture minister.
"The horticulture minister is with the apple growers but it is unfortunate that the Chief Minister has sided with arthiyas and we stand by the Horticulture minister as growers are getting better prices for their produce under the new practice of selling apples per kilogramme," Fruit Vegetable Flower Growers Association President Harish Chauhan had maintained.
"A commission agent takes a six per cent commission for the sale of apples. Earlier, the grower used to get a price of Rs 24 per kg for 34-36 kg weight but under the new system, the growers get the right price," Sanjay Chauhan, an apple grower, said, adding that this year the early variety Tideman fetched Rs 2,400 per box in comparison to Rs 1,200 last year. (PTI)
