TNR News Network
Shimla: In a grim reflection of the crisis facing apple growers in Himachal Pradesh, orchardists in Sheela village under Nankhari’s Addu panchayat in Rampur subdivision of Shimla district were forced to dump their produce into a drain after government procurement failed to open on time.
A video of the incident has gone viral on social media, sparking outrage and sympathy for the apple growers.
Orchardists blame HPMC for crisis
The apples, belonging to local orchardists, were reportedly discarded after the state-run Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC) refused to purchase C-grade fruit.
The growers alleged that despite repeated pleas to open a procurement centre, HPMC failed to act, leaving them with no option but to throw away their crop.
Addu panchayat pradhan Pinku Khand demanded immediate opening of HPMC purchase centres, warning that if the government did not respond, villagers would be forced to take to the streets. “The farmers have already suffered nature’s fury this season. If the government agencies remain indifferent, protests are inevitable,” he cautioned.
Blocked roads worsen plight
Heavy rainfall has further compounded the problem, with road closures preventing farmers from transporting apples to outside mandis. Many have already halted plucking operations, as fruit continues to fall and pile up in orchards.
Under the state’s market intervention scheme, HPMC purchases lower-grade apples every year at fixed rates. This season, the procurement price was set at Rs 12 per kg. However, HPMC officials claimed road blockages had hampered collection from villages like Addu, Kungal Balti, Nankhari, Panail, Sheelbag and Gahan. They urged farmers to shift their consignments to Kholighat, Tutu Pani and Tikkar where lifting could be ensured.
