AFFI demand justice from Centre, state governments to Apple farmers

KULGAM: The two-day National Coordination Committee meeting of the Apple Farmers Federation of India (AFFI) concluded on Sunday at Chawalgam in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district with a strong demand for immediate and policy solutions to prevent the “corporatisation” of the apple industry and protect apple farmers.

The meeting was presided over by Rakesh Singha, National Co-coordinator and former MLA from Himachal Pradesh.

The resolution adopted at the meeting demanded a reduction in the cost of production, ensuring a remunerative price for apple farmers and preventing the “corporatization” of the industry.

National Coordinator of the AFFI Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami accused the Jammu & Kashmir administration of not preventing the use of spurious pesticides and fertilisers and allowing profiteering by hiking the price of such inputs.

Tarigami, who is also the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, also criticised the Union government for giving Controlled Atmosphere Stores (CAS) on rent to corporate companies, including Adani Group. “The storage facilities must be provided at subsidised rates directly to farmers,” he said.

The CPI(M) leader also flayed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for signing an agreement with US President Biden to reduce the import duty on apples from 70% to 50%, facilitating the import of apples and harming domestic farmers.

Rakesh Singha accused the Modi government of increasing the cost of production and denying remunerative procurement prices to farmers while facilitating “corporatisation”. He demanded a price policy to ensure that 50% of the retail price is paid to farmers as the procurement price.

The meeting demanded full-cover insurance in the public sector for apple farmers and quarantine of hybrid plants to prevent diseases in domestic plantations. The National Coordination Committee decided to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister, Union Minister of Agriculture, Chief Ministers, and Lieutenant Governor of Jammu Kashmir to resolve the demands of apple farmers.

The meeting decided to enroll 56,500 new members for the year 2024-25 and convene village-level conventions in August-September. The public meeting was addressed by several leaders, including P Krishnaprasad, AIKS Finance Secretary and former MLA from Kerala.

The gathering concluded with a call for unity among apple farmers across the country to fight for their rights. With their demands largely ignored by the government, apple farmers are left with no choice but to continue their struggle for justice. (RK)