SHIMLA/PANCHKULA: The orchards of Himachal Pradesh, renowned for producing world's best crisp red delicious apples, have long been a symbol of prosperity of farmers of the state.
However, beneath the vibrant facade lies a harsh reality - the absence of a fair marketing system for apple farmers to get a profitable price their produce.
Himachal's apples are branded as world's best apples whose icon and brand ambassador is none other than Bollywood star Preity Zinta, the daughter of Himachal, who owns the CPL Cricket team and is married to Gene Goodenough, now in Los Angeles.
In 2023, the weight-based trading system, introduced under the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government, was expected to be a game-changer.
But it has turned out to be a tale of both promise and peril.
This year was supposed to usher in hope and streamline the marketing of apple crops, but the ground reality remains elusive, pushing farmers to the brink of losses and exploitation.
In the bustling mandis of Shimla at Dhalli and Parala, as well as distant markets like Panchkula and Pinjore, a weighty issue and underhand deals(see Pic of PanchkulaMandi Below) have plagued the apple trade.
The underhand deals among arhtiyas and traders are rampant in Panchkula, Pinjore, Parwanoo, Parala, Solan and Rohru Mandis, exploiting the apple farmers mainly the small and marginal ones. The APMC Act calls for open auction on the auction platform, but APMCs in Panchkula, Parala, Solan,Parwanoo never bother to take action against the exploiting arhtiyas. 
The Arhtias and buyers strike deals beforehand and the open auction, if it is there in the first place, on the auction yards are an eyewash, rued the farmers.
The difference in grading standards, targeting a 24 kg box, has sown seeds of disparity, resulting in staggering losses of up to Rs 600 per box.
For those small-scale farmers with a meager 100 boxes to sell, this injustice translates to an astonishing Rs 20,000 loss.
The 24 kg standard, it seems, confines apples to Himachal itself, while unscrupulous middlemen in Panchkula, Pinjore, and Delhi are out to exploit the farmers by demanding more weight, seemingly adhering to the 'more, the merrier' philosophy.
In this disheartening scenario, the majority of farmers yearn for a lifeline in the form of a Minimum profitable Sale Price (MSP) based on the recommendations of Dr. Swaminathan's commission - a commission report that neither the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government nor the Central government seems willing to discuss, let alone its implementation.
It's beyond doubt that the Dr. Swaminathan commission is the only hope for the small and marginal farmers to secure a fair price in mandis dominated by big growers. It stands as the beacon of hope for small farmers, safeguarding their interests.
Enter ThinkGroup 28 of the Fruit Growers Associations- Sayunkt Kisan Manch- a collective voice of wisdom in the orchard. They shed light on the perplexing story of apple grading.
An apple box, traditionally graded at an average of 28 kg, commands a handsome Rs 2,000 in the sprawling KAC Panchkula market today.
However, the same box, scaled down to meet the 24 kg requirement, fetches a meager Rs 1,400. The difference, a staggering 600 rupees per box, becomes the burden of the hardworking farmer, leaving them to question whom to blame for this injustice.
The complexities of the apple industry do not end here. Random packing of 110 boxes at Panchkula yields a robust Rs 170,000, while meticulously packed 24 kg boxes in Dhalli Mandi fall short at Rs 150,000.
Dr. Vijay Thakur, former vice-chancellor of the Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Naunni Solan, observed that when comparing the two markets of Panchkula outside Himachal and Dhalli in Shimla, this translates to a net loss of Rs 20,000 in Dhalli, where the quality of apples suffers, selling for 50% less than other grades. The tales of woe vary, but the common thread is that the apple industry is in turmoil.
This analysis serves as a clarion call for change, a plea to rescue the proverbial kite from the tree rather than cutting it loose.
It's high time for a profound rethink, an introduction of universal cartons to unravel the mess that plagues the apple markets of Himachal Pradesh.
As the 2024 apple season beckons, the farmers demand a fairer playing field, one where their hard work is not lost amid the chaos of grading standards and market fluctuations.
