Himachal apple growers to protest rising cost of packaging material today

Shimla, July 10

Apple growers will hold a protest at several places in upper Shimla tomorrow to protest the rising cost of packaging material and overall spike in the input cost over the last few years.

“The price rise in the packaging material this year is unprecedented. The cost of trays has increased by around Rs 3 per piece and the carton is costing around Rs 80. It is exploitation of the apple growers. They need to raise their voice together,” said CPM MLA Rakesh Singha.

Kisan Sanyukt Manch, an apolitical forum of the apple growers, and Chuwara Apple Valley Society have been contacting growers over the last couple of months to make them aware of the growing challenges in apple cultivation and encourage them to join the protest.

“We are contacting small and marginal growers in different village personally or telephonically. We are also using social media to make growers aware of the growing challenges,” said Sanjeev Thakur, president, Chuwara Apple Valley Society.

“There’s no way left other than taking to the street now. The cost of carton has gone up by Rs 15 and the trays by Rs 200 per bundle. Add to it, there is huge increase in the cost of fungicide, insecticide and all fertilizers, mainly calcium nitrate. If this increase in input cost is not checked, apple cultivation will become unsustainable,” he said.

It’s against this sustained increase in input cost that the apple growers have planned a protest at various places, mainly Rohru and Theog. “We are expecting around 1,000-1,500 growers in Rohru alone for the protest. We might intensify the protest into hunger strike as well,” he said.

Singha added the government hasn’t been responsive to the demands of the growers.