Various organisations of farmers and orchardists under the banner of Sanyukt Kisan Manch (SKM) has demanded withdrawal of hike in GST on apple carton

SKM co-ordinator, Sanjay Chauhan said that their demands include withdrawal of the hike in GST from 12 percent to 18 percent on apple cartons.

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Subsidy should be given on fertilisers, fungicides, insecticides, trays, and other items, he demanded.

The farmers’ forum lamented that despite the apple season in the state, the government has not made any preparations for this.

Apple season has started early in the low lying and low altitude areas, but neither the government has been able to provide packaging material nor the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) has been announced so far, he alleged.

They called for the implementation of the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) scheme on the lines of Kashmir. 

The price of A grade should be fixed at Rs 60 , B grade Rs 44 and C grade Rs 24 per kg and the dues of the apple growers should be paid immediately under the MIS pending for years, said Chauhan.

“If the government does not implement these demands immediately, then the forum will organise a state-wide agitation on 20 July 20 in association with all farmers and apple growers,” he threatened.

Due to the wrong policies of the government, the crisis of agriculture and horticulture has increased in the state today, especially the crisis on the apple economy of the state, which has contributed more than Rs 5500 crore, he added.

The subsidy provided by the government in agriculture and horticulture were continuously cut after 1991 and now they have been almost stopped, he said, adding that today, under the policy of open market and open trade, the farmers or fruit growers are being robbed by the market forces and corporate farming is being promoted.

In the last one year, the prices of fertilisers have increased by 70% to 100%, while cartons by 15% to 20%, trays have increased by 35%, insecticides and fungicides by 25% to 75%, he lamented.

The forum has cautioned to mobilise the farmers to put pressure on the government to reverse these anti-farmer policies so as to protect the interests of farmers and to save the state’s agriculture and horticulture from this crisis.