Move on market fee irks apple growers Tribune News Service The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Himachal Pradesh Edition 06 July 2013 05:55 Shimla, July 5 Irked by the move of the government to amend the State Agriculture Market Act to impose a fee at the rate of 1 per cent of the sale value, apple growers have sought the intervention of Horticulture Minister Vidya Stokes to get the proposal dropped. A deputation of the Himalayan Apple Growers Society led by Rajeev Chauhan and Balwant Justa, founder president and president of the society, met Stokes here today and said if implemented, the move would increase the market fee by 5 to 7 times. At present, a fee of Rs 2 per box is charged and if the fee is imposed on the sale value, it will come to anything between Rs 10 and Rs 15 per box. It will further reduce the returns to the growers and make the produce costly which is not in their interest. The society also drew attention of the minister to the arbitrary decision of the local commission agents to pay 20 per cent less for the small-sized apple (called pittu). The pittus comprised 35 per cent to 50 per cent of the produce and as a result of which the growers were getting 7 or 8 per cent less returns. Stokes immediately directed the State Agriculture Market Board authorities to ensure that the growers were paid the full amount and there was no reduction in price for pittus. She said the arhtyas, who refused to comply with the directive, should be black listed. The society also took up the issue of duty-free imports of apple being allowed from neighbouring countries like Afghanistan under the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA). It urged her to take up the matter with the Centre as the facility was being misused by traders to channel apple produced in Iran and other countries through Afghanistan. Apple was being exported to India even from the countries like Sri Lanka which did not produce the fruit. Stokes assured the growers that she would take up the matter with the various ministries concerned to ensure that they did not suffer due to duty-free imports. Inserted from
Posted on: Sat, 06 Jul 2013 00:29:03 +0000