Arrangements made to facilitate apple growers

Shimla, Aug 21 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh government has made elaborate arrangements for packing material, transportation and procurement of apples well in time, a spokesman of horticulture department said here today.

He said five procurement and supply agencies HPMC, HIMFED, HPAIC, AIPIL and KINFED (for Kinnaur district only) have been nominated to procure and supply the packing material for packing and marketing of fruits especially apples, in the state.

He said for smooth transportation of apples and availability of trucks, the main apple control room has been functioning at Fagu in Theog development block from July 15 to October 15.

Road tax has been exempted with effect from August one to October 31 to trucks coming from adjoining states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Utter Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which were engaged for transportation of apples and potatoes, he added.

He said that State Government has implemented Market Intervention Scheme for procurement of 'Fair Average Quality Apple' with effect from August one and 211 collection centres have been opened. Apart from this, 30 apple collection centres were being opened with effect from August 15, he added.

He said 58,000 farmers had benefitted under different components of Horticulture Technology Mission so far and added that assistance to farmers was being given after proper verification by officers concerned and record of each and every farmer was available with the Deputy Director Horticulture of the Districts concerned.

He further said that funds were being directly released by the Centre under Mini Mission-III to entrepreneurs for establishing cold storages.

State Government was promoting public-private participation for improving the post harvest infrastructure in the state, he added.

UNI