Apple farmers seek 25 per cent space in private cold stores Kuldeep Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, August 5 Apple farmers have raised their grouse against the failure of the successive state governments to reserve 25 per cent chambers in controlled atmospheric stores (CAS) under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) to save farmers from the distress sale in the markets.Instead of providing CAS facilities to farmers, the CAS corporate are making money every year. They buy fruit at cheap rates when farmers are forced to sell the fruit in markets during the glut, with rates ranging from Rs 30 per kg to Rs 45 per kg for the top variety and sell these almost at Rs 130 a kg in the off-season markets, said farmers.The government should have framed a policy and reserved some stores for farmers at affordable rates, said Laxman Thakur, Chairman, Ecohorts, Nandpur. “The Adanis and other CAS companies should be brought under the CSR so that farmers get storage facilities,” added Pradip Banchta, orchardist from Shantha, Chopal.The corporate shrewdly declare buying rates when the markets are flooded with fruit and the rates hit low in the peak season as the government has no policy, the farmers resented.Rakesh Singha, president, HP Apple Growers Association, said Adani had got subsidies worth Rs 15 crore under the national technology mission from the government. But the company provided no facilities for storage of fruit to farmers, he added.The HPMC has limited stores at Jarol Tikkar and Guma where farmers can store 32,000 cartons each. “We have reserved 25 per cent chambers for farmers on a first-come, first-serve basis and charge Rs 1.45 per kg in the CAS stores. As an apple farmer, he will take up the matter with the government,” said Prakash Thakur, vice-chairman, HPMC and orchardist from Kotgarh.The Adani group, Devbhumi, and the third one being set up at Balgahar in Theog have set up stores, but the government has framed no policy for farmers in the private controlled atmospheric stores. The Adani group runs three controlled atmospheric stores — Sainj in Theog, Kingal in Kumarsain and Mendli in Rohru.Horticulture Minister Vidya Stokes said the government was committed to the welfare of the farmers and would explore all possibility in this regard.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 02:23:08 +0000
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