Shimla : A left wing led farmers body(Himachal seb utpadak sangh) today asked the state government to provide a slew of measures to protect the state’s apple farmers.
This demand comes a day after the state’s horticulture minister Narinder Bragta convened a high-level meeting of farmers, experts and officials seeking their suggestions on ways to improve the apple industry in the state .
The secretary of the ‘seb utpadak sangh’ Sanjay Chauhan said the government should enhance subsidies on the lines of developed countries .
“The government has failed to provide post harvest management and better marketing facilities ,†he said .
He said standard global packaging technology material should be introduced with universal standard boxes of 20 kg , 10 kg and 5 kg be used .Government must set up packaging units in the public and cooperative sectors .
“The government must enhance import and custom duty on apple to 100 per cent like other developed countries to protect the interests of farmers ,†Chauhan said .
In a 20 year career published widely. He has worked for the BBC, AFP, The Statesman, IANS and the Business Standard . Known for his hard hitting writing and occasional off-beat stories. He lives in Shimla.
