PC: tv9hindi
Farmers in Himachal Pradesh have got some good news as the Central Government has constituted a committee to review and assess the demand of the State Government regarding the procurement of apples through NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited). Has been formed. It is speculated that based on the committee's report, the central government may decide to purchase apples directly from farmers through NAFED like it handles the procurement of rice and wheat. This step can ensure that farmers get fair prices for their apple produce.
This year, Himachal Pradesh has suffered a lot of losses in apple cultivation. Excessive rainfall caused landslides which affected many apple orchards and unseasonal rains caused apples to rot on the trees, affecting overall production. Apart from this, due to damaged roads, apples are not able to reach the markets on time, which is affecting the income of farmers.
PC: Bangalore Agrico
Local farmers are facing a double challenge – first, their crops were adversely affected by the weather and now, they are struggling to get the right price in the market. Therefore, the demand for direct apple procurement through NAFED has been raised by the Government of Himachal Pradesh. The hope is that by allowing NAFED to purchase apples, the government can help ensure that farmers are fairly compensated for their produce.
PC: Dengarden
Himachal Pradesh is the second largest apple producer in India, while Kashmir ranks first. The state's apples not only supply the domestic market but also go to neighboring countries like Nepal. It is noteworthy that 25% of the total apple production of the country occurs in Himachal Pradesh.
