As Indian truckers on Wednesday refused to load the consignments to Delhi and other markets due to a strike call given by truck operators, apple growers started to fear that their produce would be lost. Each farmer has about 50 boxes to sell in the market every day.
“We have packed the apples in cartons. We called up truckers, but they refused to supply these to Delhi due to a strike call,” said Prakshit Kumar, apple farmer from Churag, Mandi. “Apple may rot as the fruit at this altitude is highly perishable due to heat.”
Every day, about 15,000 cartons are arriving in the Dhalli and Parala mandis, from the lower belt, including Guma, Hatkoti, Mendli, Thana in Jubbal-Kotkhai, Jhiknipul, Nerwa, Chopal, Theog, lower Kumarsain, Palsar, Bhutti areas of Kotgarh, Churag, Mahunag, Bhakhrot, Dhanda Pani, Pangna, Seri in Karsog of Mandi district and Anni of Kullu.
According to tribuneindia.com, farmers are apprehensive that the truckers in Punjab and Haryana will no longer drive to Delhi. President of the Dhalli Arhtyas Association, NS Chaudhary, said trucker unions had been urged to allow transports of fruit and vegetables.
