HP apple market crashes, transportation badly hit
Transporters reluctant to ply vehicles on the ShimlaNew Delhi highway, markets flooded with harvest, stores are full to the capacity, price dips
The violence that sparked after the court verdict against Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case in Panchkula on Friday, has hit the apple industry of Himachal Pradesh.
Due to violence in parts of Punjab and Haryana, vehicular movement along the national highway connecting Shimla to Delhi, including of transportation of apples, was hit.
In Himachal, apple-growers have been bearing the brunt of shortage of trucks as transporters are reluctant to ply their vehicles on the highways, fearing violence.
The markets are flooded with harvest and farmers are faced with price fall.
In Shimla, Rohru, Narkanda and other markets, apple boxes are piling up as there is no availability of trucks due to the recent violence in the neighbouring states.
Apple traders are apprehensive about the safety of their trucks.
The court has held Ram Rahim guilty in a 15-year-old rape case, the sentence of which will be pronounced on Monday. Transporters fear violence in the coming days.
“For the past two- three days, there is no traffic on the ShimlaNew Delhi highway. The situation is normalising, but we are waiting for Monday,” said Mustafa, a transporter.
Apple trader Bunty Sood
said, “Traders from other states are not purchasing any apples as there is no arrangement to transport the apples from Shimla to markets in New Delhi,
Madras, Gujarat, Kolkata and Bengaluru.”
“Our stores are full to the capacity with the purchased apples. Until the transport issue is resolved, the market will remain low,” added the apple trader.
“The rates have gone down by ₹500 to ₹700 per 20kg box in last 2-3 days; from ₹2,000-2,300 per box to ₹1,500- 1,600 per box,” said apple-grower Pawan Khimta. Farmers have stopped harvesting apple as the rates have come down drastically.
“Farmers are not getting trucks to transport their crop. Government should help them out,” said Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary Onkar Shad.
He said that due to the situation prevailing in the neighbouring states, apple-growers in Himachal are facing a harrowing time.
Himachal is the second highest apple producing state in India after Jammu and Kashmir. Apples are grown in Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur, Sirmaur, Chamba and Shimla district in the state. This time, around two crore 20kg apple boxes have been produced.
Traders from other states are not purchasing apples as there is no transportation arrangement from Shimla to markets in New Delhi, Madras, Gujarat, Kolkata and Bengaluru. BUNTY SOOD, apple trader