Tribune News Service
Shimla, September 5
The Congress will put the issue of providing minimum support price (MSP) for apple in its manifesto next time. "As and when the Congress government comes to power, we will try and provide MSP for apple and insurance for plants," said Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh during his visit to the Parala fruit Mandi today.
Several apple organizations have been demanding MSP for apple to check fluctuations in the price of the fruit. The market has been sluggish this year, leaving the apple growers anxious.
"Cyclical fluctuations in the prices will come but the government and its departments should have a long-term procurement plan. They should talk to big corporates and commission agents for a long-term procurement plan," he said.
Also, he said the local people should be encouraged to set up CA stores so that they can store their produce to have some control over the supply chain. "The corporates were given huge subsidies to set up CA stores. So, they should allow local growers to store their produce in these stores at a reasonable cost. The government should look into it if the corporates are not providing this facility to the local growers," he said.
Accusing the BJP government of being indifferent and insensitive towards apple growers, he said the BJP ministers could have at least avoided making insensitive statements that left the apple growers hurt and angry. "The previous Congress government brought a Rs 1,134-crore horticulture development project to the state, but the current government has done little to take the project forward," he alleged.
Courtesy: Tribune News Service