To support the orchardists in the apple belts of the state, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at facilitating apple growers and ensuring a smooth transportation process for their produce.

"The State Government is focusing on road clearance in apple growing areas to facilitate growers and ensure smooth transportation of their produce aiding in timely delivery of their harvest, especially after some roads were adversely affected by the recent monsoon fury. Restoration works are being undertaken on war footing to repair the damaged roads promptly", Sukhu said.

The Chief Minister revealed these measures in a meeting with the Arthiya Association late Thursday evening. He said that the state government remained steadfast in its stance against any attempts to exploit apple growers.

To improve transportation infrastructure, the State Government was prioritizing the strengthening of the Chhaila to Yashwant Nagar road, via Neri Bridge and a project with an outlay of Rs. 70 crore has been prepared under Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) and a proposal has been submitted in this regard, said the Chief Minister. The primary goal of this endeavour was to alleviate any transportation hindrances faced by the orchardists during the apple season, he added.

Sukhu said that to enhance post-harvest storage facilities, the government mulls establishing Controlled Atmosphere (CA) stores in key locations across the State. These CA stores will be set up at Bhawanagar (Kinnaur), Sandasu (Chirgaon), Anu (Jubbal), Chopal (Shimla), Jabli (Solan), Sundernagar (Mandi), Duttnagar (Rampur Bushehar) and Kharapathar (Shimla). Moreover, efforts are being made to construct another CA store on State Government land at Kundli border in Delhi thereby bolstering the storage capacity and accessibility for apple growers.

The State Government was considering establishing a distillery to ensure that apple growers can benefit from their produce even when facing challenges such as rotten apples. This initiative aims to utilize apples that may not meet the market's fresh produce standards, turning them into valuable resources and contributing to the growers' income, he said.

The Arthiya Association, after the Chief Minister's intervention, has agreed to weigh or purchase apples based on the older system, accommodating the convenience of the growers. The association expressed its full cooperation with the State Government in their shared commitment to supporting the apple-growing community.

A day before, apples were not sold in the majority of the Fruit markets (mandis) in Himachal Pradesh as arthiyas (commission agents) went on strike, claiming there is no space to weigh the produce.

On the other hand, the apple growers said arthiyas are conspiring to fail the new practice of selling apples per kilogram as growers are being benefited. Earlier, apples were sold per box but from this year the new system of selling apples per kg with a cap of 24 kg was introduced by the state government after consultations with all the stakeholders.

Terming the strike without notice as illegal and uncalled for, Fruit Vegetable Flower Growers Association President Harish Chauhan on Thursday said it is the duty of the government to make arrangements for the sale of apples and arthiyas not following the prescribed norms should be blacklisted. The apple growers have already suffered vagaries of weather and even the roads are damaged due to heavy rains, he added.

State Arthiyas Association President Harish Thakur said, ''We are not against selling apples per kilogram but the issue is that it is impossible to weigh the produce and there is no space''.

''We went on a symbolic strike due to harassment by the authorities as arthiyas were challaned in some Mandis, he added.

About 70,000-80,000 boxes come to the Mandi's with the space to accommodate 20,000 boxes, and the process is very time-consuming, Thakur said, adding that Mandi's in Haryana and Punjab are buying apples per box.

We are not against the apple growers or the government, he said, adding they provide us ample space to weigh the apples and introduce universal packing. Horticulture Minister Jagat Negi held a meeting with the representatives of the apple growers and arthiyas association to resolve the issue, but no decision has been reached so far. Apple is a Rs 5,000 crore economy in Himachal.