The nearly 100 per cent slashing of the budgetary allocation for the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) in India’s federal budget has left apple growers worried. The MIS is vital for apple growers as government enterprises HPMC and Himfed procure almost the entire stock of “C” grade apple from the growers under this scheme.
Sanjay Chauhan of the Sanyukt Kisan Manch, a group of over 27 bodies of apple growers, said: “The Centre should withdraw the deduction made in the scheme’s budgetary allocation. If this is not done, apple growers’ organizations will launch an agitation. The manch had launched a big agitation against the previous government last year over the rising input costs.”
“Not just apples, the scheme is applicable to citrus fruits as well. The cut in the budgetary allocation is going to put a lot of burden on the state,” said Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi.
Source: tribuneindia.com