SHIMLA/PARALA/PINJORE:
The crackdown on overweight apple cartons in the Rohru fruit market has put the spotlight back on a practice that threatens to undermine Himachal Pradesh’s universal carton norms at a time when the apple season is entering its crucial phase.
Rohru SDM Rakesh Sharma has taken action against 68 traders/consignments for violating prescribed packaging norms, with cartons weighing up to 28 kg reportedly detected during an inspection of the Rohru apple market.
The action has been welcomed by apple growers who are following the prescribed standards and selling their produce in properly packed cartons.
Farmers, however, say the action cannot remain confined to one mandi. They have questioned why similar enforcement has not been visible in major markets such as Parala, Parwanoo, Solan and Pinjore, where large volumes of Himachal apples are traded.
According to growers, some arhtiyas and growers continue to encourage the practice of putting excessive quantities of apples into cartons to gain an unfair advantage.
Farmers allege that the practice is particularly visible in pockets of Kotkhai, Marog and Chopal, Chubbal and Rohru, besides areas such as Baghi, Khadrala and Ratnari.
The issue is not merely about a few extra kilograms. Growers following the prescribed packaging norms say overweight cartons create an unequal playing field.
A farmer packing within the stipulated limit bears the cost of additional cartons, labour and handling, while those resorting to overloading can move more fruit in fewer cartons.
The farmers argue that this defeats the very purpose of introducing universal standard cartons in Himachal Pradesh.
They have demanded strict enforcement of the prescribed 22–24 kg range, with violations attracting penalties irrespective of whether the offender is a grower, trader or arhtiya.
The growers have also urged the Horticulture Minister to take up the matter with APMC Panchkula, particularly regarding the Pinjore mandi, which handles a substantial volume of apple arriving from Shimla district.
They want the regulating authorities to ensure that traders do not use the interstate mandi network to circumvent packaging regulations.
The APMC Shimla has also come under criticism from growers for allegedly failing to maintain effective monitoring in markets such as Bhatta Kufar and Parala, while similar concerns have been raised regarding Tapri in Kinnaur.
Farmers are demanding round-the-clock monitoring of the major apple markets during the peak season and immediate action against repeat offenders.
They say merely announcing universal carton norms will serve little purpose unless the enforcement mechanism is visible on the ground.
The timing is critical. The lower-altitude apple crop is largely over, while arrivals from the mid- and high-altitude belts are expected to gain momentum from the first week of September, with produce from the higher reaches expected to arrive through October.
With overall production already low in several belts, growers following quality and packaging standards are hoping to secure better prices.
The market has already taken a hit this season from what growers describe as the premature arrival of Gala apples from Kashmir.
Farmers and market players have alleged that premature harvesting and dumping of immature fruit affected the quality perception of Gala apples and contributed to a sharp fall in prices in markets across Chandigarh, Pinjore, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh. These allegations require verification by the competent market authorities before any conclusion about deliberate market manipulation can be drawn.
The current controversy, however, is more immediate: if universal cartons are the rule, the rule must apply universally.
Growers say selective enforcement will only punish farmers who comply while rewarding those who overload cartons.
They have called for strict action under the applicable regulations against both traders and growers found deliberately violating the prescribed weight limits, including substantial penalties for repeat violations.
For the apple farmer, the demand is straightforward—one market, one standard and one rule for everyone.
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