Shimla | TNR
Himachal’s horticulture minister Mahendra Singh has come under fire from apple growers for suggesting the sale of apples in crates over cartons.
Selling apples in the open, he felt would save the cost of packing in cartons and grading to which angry growers reacted sharply.
Demanding the resignation of the minister, the growers asked the state government to oust him from the Cabinet.
Progressive Growers Association
President of the Progressive Growers Association, Lokendra Bisht, urged the Chief Minister to take back the horticulture portfolio from Mahendra Singh and handle it himself.
Growers were already worried about low rates being given for their product and to top it all the minister had dropped a bombshell by suggesting such measures that would add to the sufferings of the growers.
State govt’s motives questioned
Questioning the motives of the state government, Bisht asked why it had not made any arrangements in the last three months, despite making grand announcements about selling apples in crates.
As a result, private enterprises minted gold while the poor growers were not able to even get the basic cost price for their products.
Harish Chauhan, convenor of the Samyukta Kisan Manch, has also condemned the statement of the horticulture minister.
Horticulture minister should resign: Chauhan
Samyukt Kisan Manch member and grower Sanjay Chauhan said that due to the influence of the Adanis and loaders, Urban development minister Suresh Bhardwaj and Horticulture minister Mahendra Singh had lost their mental balance.
Taking a dig at both ministers, he said that in over seven decades since independence the government had not built CA stores to store even one per cent of the apple crop produced in the state and now the minister was speaking about selling in crates.
He demanded the resignation of the horticulture minister.
