Bumper yield of apple in Nainital district, farmers are disappointed due to not getting profit even far away cost
Government declared support price of ₹ 12, cost coming from 18 to 20 kg till reaching the market
There are piles of broken apples in the houses, 70 percent of the apples were not broken from the trees due to lack of price in the market.
Nainital. The government has declared the minimum support price of apples. The price has been increased by Re 1 to Rs 12 per kg as compared to last year. But the apple buyers of horticulture farmers are not getting.
In this era of inflation, where tomatoes are being sold at Rs 200 per kg, the farmers are disappointed as apple shells are not sold even at Rs 20 per kg. In Rs.20, the cost of the farmer is coming up to Rs.18. Questioning the government’s policy. Farmers have not yet been able to pluck 70 percent of the fruits. The apples that broke are piled up in the houses of the farmers.
Ramgarh and Dhari blocks of Nainital district witnessed bumper production of apples this year. The orchards are full of apples. Kashkar is disappointed for not getting the rate.
According to Soupi district panchayat member Kamlesh Singh, according to farmers, a box of apples (8-10 kg) is not getting buyers in the market for Rs 200. The cost of one box is coming to Rs 150 from plucking it from the tree till it reaches the mandi and sells it. Mukteshwar’s apple producer and progressive farmer Devendra Singh Bisht says, there are no buyers of local C grade apples. Devendra Singh Gaur, a farmer from Soupi village of Ramgarh region, says that he has sent 1500 boxes of apples to Haldwani Mandi since the beginning of July, for which he got Rs 200-500 per box. But now the price has come down.
Mohan Singh Gaur and Puran Singh Nayal of Satbunga say, the agents in Haldwani Mandi have refused to send apples. Like him, many farmers in the area have now stopped plucking apples from the trees. Due to lack of demand in the market, farmers have heaps of apples.
Tenants of so many villages affected
Satbunga Pradhan Jeevan Gaur says that farmers of about 40-50 villages in Ramgarh area are struggling with the problem of price and demand of apples. Along with this, the damage caused by monkeys and birds is also increasing their concern. Similarly, tenants of 50-60 villages have been affected in Dhari. In about 70 percent of these orchards, the farmers have grown local varieties of apples.
Cost per box from plucking the fruit from the tree to selling it in the market
Wooden box – Rs 100
packing – Rs 20
Mandi jeep fare – Rs 13
Garden to road fare – Rs 20
Commission commission (8%) – Rs 20
Pulledari – Rs 3
Nail paper Pirul – Rs 5
Total cost per box (161+ commission 20) = Rs 180 to 200
