Increase import duty on apple, demands AAP

Mandi, July 19

The activists of AAP staged a protest march in support of the demands of apple growers here today. They raised slogans against the state government. AAP demanded MSP (minimum support price) on apple produce as was the case in Jammu and Kashmir.

The protest was led by Kashmir Singh, general secretary of AAP in Himachal. A memorandum of demands was submitted to the state government through Deputy Commissioner.

Kashmir Singh said that due to inflation, the lives of farmers, apple growers and labourers had become difficult. The government should take steps to check inflation by reducing GST, otherwise the AAP will intensify its movement.

“The cost of packaging material has gone up. Due to rising fuel cost, transportation of apple produce to distant markets has become a costly affair,” he said.

“The government has played a joke with the apple growers of the state by increasing the support price of apple by Re 1. The government should take back this decision and raise the support price of apple to Rs 25 per kg. Import duty on apple coming from abroad should be raised without delay,” said Kashmir Singh.