Conducting legal study to implement universal cartons to help apple growers in state: Sukhu

shimla: In a step to find a solution to the problems of the apple growers, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu said the government was studying the possibilities of “universal cartons” to check exploitation of the apple growers by middlemen and commission agents.

“Several measures are underway to strengthen the economy of the horticulturists. We are conducting a legal study to implement universal cartons in order to make the apple growers of the state economically-empowered,” he said here.

The Chief Minister said the state government has taken various steps for setting up Controlled Atmosphere (CA) stores, so that the horticulturists could get remunerative prices of their produce, thereby protecting them from any kind of exploitation of middlemen.

There is a move to introduce new crops like dragon fruit, blueberry and avocado using high density plantation and micro irrigation facilities for increasing fruit production in the state.

“For the first time, the state government has initiated a move to formulate a new horticulture policy for taking effective steps towards strengthening the horticulture economy of the state and taking steps to mitigate the problems of the fruit growers in view of the climatic changes,” he added.

Apart from this, it was also being considered to set up an apple-based distillery, which would provide an additional source of income to the horticulturists as they could sell under size and rotten apples for winery products, he added.

He said the state government in its first Green Budget, made a provision of 50 per cent subsidy for the purchase of e-bus, e-truck and e-taxi.