Unveiling the Scam: How Self-Styled Apple "Experts" Exploiting  Himachal's Farmers...

SHIMLA: In the apple valleys of Himachal Pradesh, a sinister game is afoot that is ruining the Rs 5000 Crore apple economy literally under the nose of the state government and its institutions. 

This ruination of the apple industry is orchestrated by self-styled apple "experts" who are doubling as company agents and farmers misusing the government platforms.

Through slick social media campaigns and YouTube channels, these imposters lure unsuspecting farmers into a web of deceit, all for their own gain.

Surendra Thakur, a voice of reason, sheds light on the situation: "These so-called experts are out on social media platform, spreading misinformation and pushing products that do more harm than good. They're preying on the trust of our farmers."

Thakur, who is an apple farmer from Shilaroo, who retired as chief engineer, has shot off a letter to the Vice-chancellor, Dr YS Parmar university of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni seeking action as to how the PGRs being promoted and reccommended without a field trial and scientific study in the apple orchard.

"It is being done at the behest of one self-styled expert called Dimple Panjhta, who is not only doubling as an agent of company and socalled expert who does not hesitate even in insulting the scientists", Thakur charged in a video released by him taking on these self styled apple experts. 

The apple farmers name the most popular among these self-styled experts include Dimple Panjta, Jitu Chauhan, Sanjeev Chauhan and Kunal Chauhan many others who are enrolled as members of the  farmers associations and the like.

Many of them are not only engaged in the illegal business of PGRs but also in the illegal business of imported plant material and other products meant for the apple industry, the farmers complained.

The apple plants are imported directly from Italy and other countries just to make big money without the mandatory quarantine measures that in turn,  threaten the Rs 5000 Crore apple industry with cataclysmic viruses,    fire blight, coodling moth and other diseases not known in Himachal so far, the farmers alleged    

The plight of the farmers is palpable. "We looked to these experts for guidance, only to be led astray, as nothing turned out  in apple crops as they are preaching " laments one farmer. More importan is training, pruning,  mulching and maturing and judicious sprays and pollination rather than PGRs and the stuff these experts preach"  added another farmer.

These experts stand exposed now and farmers should not follow the  crap they spread they should follow their own practices and commonsense.  

"Their YouTube videos and social media posts painted a rosy picture, but the reality is far from it. We've suffered losses because of their deception as PGRs donot work last year and this year as well."

How the university is enrolling the agent of the company on its administrative panel, asked Thakur.

The whole thing is nothing less than a big scam and needs to be exposed by a proper probe into import of plant material and PGRs and other products, he  demanded.  

Their bank accounts should be probed that will bring out the #doodh ka doodh Pani ka Pani#,  the farmers demand. 

With production dwindling and livelihoods at stake, Thakur issues a rallying cry: "We must expose these fraudsters for who they truly are. They're not experts; they're con artists preying on the vulnerable."

Even the horticulture department is no lily white in its purity.

The various HDOs in Chopal, Jubbal-Kotkhai, Kullu,  and even Nauni  university are selling substandard plant material to the farmers at these farms. 

Their modus operandi is simple: They asked certain farmers to raise plant material in their private nursery and pay them.

The plants are further sold to the apple farmers, whose authenticity remains blurred, reveal the farmers.

Even the payment are received on their bank accounts or through their agents placed in the farms, charged the farmers.

They donot provide payment slips even hence payments are going into their private accounts, not in government treasures, the farmers charged. 

This another scam being run by the certain HDOs in the apple belt, the farmers revealed. 

Renowned apple farmer from Kotgarh Hari Roach, who was the first to raise the virus-free apple orchard on root stocks in Kotgarh on his farm,    has dragged the government to the court for its failure to give virus-free plants to the farmers under the Rs 1200 Crore Horticulture development project.

The viruses were detected in the imported plant material which were given to the farmers under this project. 

    As the outcry grows louder, Himachal Pradesh stands at a crossroads. Will the farmers reclaim their autonomy, or will the grip of exploitation tighten further?

The battle rages on, fueled by the determination of those who refuse to be swindled any longer.