Himachal Apple Farmers Slam Adani’s Low Procurement Rates Amid Disease, Fake Fungicides, Import Pressure and Policy Gaps
Shimla, Aug 23 – Himachal Pradesh’s apple sector is facing a perfect storm: devastating leaf diseases, fake fungicides, predatory procurement rates from Adani Agri Fresh Ltd (AAFL), unfair mandi practices, rising imports, and shrinking government support.
AAFL’s Low Prices Spark Resentment:
Adani will begin procurement on August 25 from CA stores in Sainj, Rohru, Jarol Tikkar, Rampur, and Tutu Pani, offering Rs 85–55 per kg based on color and size. “Pittu” and ROL (online-rejected fruit) fetch as little as Rs 20 per kg.
Procurement in Recong Peo (Kinnaur) starts August 28, with trial procurement tomorrow.
The farmers were expecting Rs 95 per kg this time for Royal from Adani but it has started with Rs 85 per kg.
Farmers argue this ignores rising costs. “Royal Delicious apples sell for Rs 130+/kg in mandis; after carton and transport, we break even only at Rs 110/kg,” said orchardists across Chopal, Kotgarh, Rohru and Jubbal Kotkhai.
The gala is being sold at Rs 160 per kg to Rs 200 kg and Royal for Rs 20 to Rs 130 per kg in Jaipur Markets. Why we should sell apple to Adani for Rs 85 per kg, the farmers said.
Leaf Diseases & Fake Agrochemicals:
Unseasonal prolonged rains have triggered rampant apple Alternaria leaf spot and yellowing.
Worse, many farmers discovered that the “dodine” bavistin and other fungicides sprays they purchased were ineffective or counterfeit—leaves continued to blacken and yields faltered. Growers lamented the loss of both crop and capital.
They have raised a big question mark over how the Dr YS Parmar horticulture and forestry university recommend sprays of fungicides for apple trees, as the companies makes the same for other crops.
Illegal Overweight Carton Practices in Mandis:
Farmers are also challenging mandi malpractices. They demand that APMC enforce universal carton norms at Parala, Bhattakufar, Solan, Parwanoo, and Pinjore, where some arhtiyas are illegally insisting on six-layer cartons over the legal five.
Even the payments are delayed for weeks by many Arhtiyas.
This not only cheats growers weight-wise but also damages fruit quality.
But APMC remains in slumber, not a single farmer or arhtiya is fined for this violation of carton norms.
Shrinking Government Support:
Adding to the woes, the Central Government has stopped funding the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for apple procurement.
Now, the scheme is now funded by the state government alone.
The support price of Rs 12 per kg for culled fruit, procured through HPMC centres, is seen as negligible, leaving farmers with little fallback in case of crop losses due to premature dropping.
Export Potential vs. Domestic Struggle:
Last year, India exported 22,338 tonnes of apples, earning nearly US $10 million, primarily to Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.
With improved crop quality, exports in 2024/25 are forecast to rise to ~25,000 tonnes, a 17% increase.
Meanwhile, imports surge to 129,862 tonnes from Turkey (US $98.95 million) and 7,201 tonnes from the US (US $7.6 million) in 2023, adding competitive pressure on domestic growers.
But farmers expect, Import of apple will be lesser as India has stopped import from Turkey after it supported Pakistan during operation Sindoor militarily.
On the other hand, Kashmir apples are set to arrive in North Indian mandis soon in larger quantities which may soften prices temporarily.
Yet traders predict demand for Himachali high-altitude Royal/Red delicious varieties—valued for shelf life and taste—will remain strong.
Political leaders and farmer leaders have demanded higher import duties on US apples, ban on Turkish apples in view of its support to Pakistan during operation Sindoor and Trump high tariff diplomacy on Indian imports in the US.
It is expected the import will be less and farmers from higher altitude will get good prices for royal apples this year, say traders.
Farmers’ unions and arhtiyas have urged growers to regulate arrivals and maintain quality to keep markets buoyant.
“Unless governments crack down on counterfeit agrochemicals, enforce fair mandi practices, protect growers from predatory pricing, and regulate imports, the apple economy may collapse and continue to face uphill task.
Right now, farmers are battling disease, fraud, corporate undercutting, and weak policy support—all at once,” rued growers in Shimla district.
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