Apple Farmers Left Hanging as Government Turns a Blind Eye. The sitting Lok Sabha MP fails to take their demands of loan waiver, profitable prices and subsidized inputs etc in Parliament.
SHIMLA: Reeling under a huge crisis, triggered by crop failures, the apple farmers have demand loan waiver profitable prices for the fruits in Markets and incentives on inputs whose prices have gone through the roof for last few years.
In a recent gathering organized by the United Farmers Forum (Sayunkt Kisan Manch)in Shimla here today, leaders from various farmer and horticulturist organizations came together and pressed the panic button as long pending demands remained unaddressed that have pushed the apple industry to the brink.
Among the attendees were prominent figures from various bodies of farmers such as Harish Chauhan, Sanjay Chauhan, Sohan Thakur, Ashutosh Chauhan, Deepak Singha, Kuldeep Singh Tanwar, Rajinder Chauhan, Pratap Chauhan, Jay Singh Jehata, Harish Ghamta, Rajpratap, Pawan Singh, and others.
Despite having raised the issues several times, both the state and central governments have failed to provide adequate support to the struggling apple farmers facing an unprecedented crisis due to crop failures and climate change and rocketing input costs.
The meeting highlighted the grim reality faced by thousands of families dependent on apple cultivation for their livelihoods.
With production and productivity continuously declining due to government policies, farmers find themselves trapped in mounting debts with no relief in sight.
"Today, the government's policies are pushing farmers and horticulturists towards ruin.
Despite our repeated pleas, the authorities have turned a blind eye to our struggles," remarked Harish Chauhan, one of the leaders of the Sayunkt Kisan Manch, expressing his frustration.
The main demands put forth by the Sayunkt Kisan Manch in the meeting include the implementation of MSP based on Swaminathan Commission recommendations with a 50% profit margin (C2+50%), a minimum 100% increase in import duties on apples and other fruits, the reinstatement of budget cuts for the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) to ensure prompt payment to farmers, and the immediate waiver of farmers' loans.
"The government must realize that the survival of apple farmers is at stake. We demand immediate action to alleviate our suffering and ensure our livelihoods are protected," stated Sanjay Chauhan, another leader of the Sayunkt Kisan Manch.
Furthermore, the lack of representation and advocacy for farmers' issues in the parliament by the current MPs has exacerbated the situation.
Despite the cries for help from the grassroots level, neither the state nor the central government has shown any inclination to address the plight of apple farmers.
As a result, the United Farmers Forum has vowed to intensify its efforts in mobilizing farmers' organizations at the grassroots level to demand immediate action from the authorities.
The forum will print pamphlets outlining their demands and work tirelessly to garner support from farmers across blocks and tehsils during this elections.
In the face of adversity, the apple industry is left hanging by a thread, with farmers bearing the brunt of government apathy towards their plight.
Unless urgent measures are taken to alleviate their suffering, the backbone of the state's economy will continue to crumble under the weight of neglect and indifference.
"We will hold demonstrations and fan out among people if the government doesn't accept our demands", the farmers warned.
