The State Government’s policy of buying apples and potatoes from the farmers belonging to natural disaster-affected areas of the mountain State has found a few takers.
It is surprising to know that no farmer from the natural disaster-affected areas of the region has come to dispose off potatoes so far through the purchasing centres of the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) which has been assigned the task of purchasing agri-produce like apples and potatoes from the natural disaster-affected areas’farmers.
It is believed that apart from delay in announcing the said popular policy on part of the State Government, poor minimum support price that the State Government has set up for buying apple at Rs 20 a kilo and potato at Rs 10 a kilo from the farmers is one of the major factors that could not attract the farmers to dispose off their produces through the Government agencies like the KMVN here.
There is no potato left with the farmers here. Therefore, perhaps there is no disposal off potato through the KMVN purchasing centres, said Dr Rameshwar Singh, District Horticulture Officer (DHO), Nainital, while talking to The Pioneer.
However, the farmers have been able to dispose off about 490 quintal apple so far through the KMVN
purchasing centre, he added.
Private traders here have already purchased the potatoes from the farmers much earlier. Though damage to the potato crop can’t be ruled out due to the natural disaster, private players/ traders were quick to purchase the hill potato much earlier.
So there is no potato left with the farmers. Besides, price factor depends on a region. As apple is being sold at Rs 70/ Rs 80 a kilo in the market, so most of the farmers are disposing off their apples to the market as the market watchers of the Haldwani vegetable and fruit market say.
The farmers of the Nainital’s hilly regions have been able to dispose off about 490 quintal apple through the KMVN purchasing centres set up at Nainital’s hilly regions like Supi and Satbunga.
“According to the Government’s order, we have to purchase apples and potatoes from the farmers of the natural disaster-affected areas in coordination with the
respective District Magistrates and District Horticulture Officers (DHOs). However, no farmers have come to us to dispose off potatoes so far from any part of the Kumaon division,” TS Vora, Manager, the KMVN, told The Pioneer.
“But in coordination with the Nainital district administration, we have purchased apple from Nainital’s hilly region. But no farmer has come to sell potatoes to our purchasing centres even from the Nainital district so far,” he added.
“However, we are fully prepared to follow the Government’s order in this regard. If any farmer comes to us to sell apples or potatoes or the officials concerned of the respective districts inform about availability of the potatoes or apples, the KMVN is ready to help the farmers in disposing off their produce,” Vora added.