Union budget fails to cheer Himachal farmers

Shimla, July 23

Farmers in Himachal Pradesh expressed disappointment on Tuesday as their key demands of 100 per cent duty on apple imports and GST exemption to farm inputs were not addressed in the Union Budget for 2024-25.

Fruit Vegetable Flower Growers Association president Harish Chauhan said that hopes of farmers of Himachal Pradesh have been dashed as their main demand of 100 per cent import duty on apples to check import of cheap apples has not been addressed in the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

“We have been demanding exemption in GST on farm inputs and equipment but nothing has been done in this regard,” he said in a video message.

Apple is cultivated on 1,15,680 hectares spread over 21 assembly segments mainly in Shimla, Mandi, Kullu and Kinnaur districts and a few pockets of Chamba, Sirmaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Kangra and Solan districts.

The apple economy in the state is estimated at Rs 5,000 crore. At present, the import duty on apples is 50 per cent. Over 3 lakh families are directly involved in apple production, as per the official data.

“However, the scheme announced for marketing and cold chain in clusters for vegetable growers is welcomed but it would be difficult for the farmers of the state to get benefit under this scheme as land holdings are small in Himachal Pradesh and making clusters is difficult,” Chauhan said.