Himachal to procure apple at Rs 6.50 a kilo

Shimla : The procurement price of low quality apple has been fixed by the Himachal Pradesh government Friday at Rs 6.50 per kg for the 2013 season.

 This is 50 paise more than last year’s price . Handling charges have been fixed at Rs 1.95 per kg for procurement agencies like HPMC , HIMFED and the horticulture department .

 An official of the state government said this year 90,343 metric tonnes of apple will be procured under the market intervention scheme(MIS) .

 This time 260 procurement centres will be set up all over the apple belt from July 22 to Oct 31 .

 The fruit will be procured from horticulture card holders and not contractors .

 Also this time apples will be procured in 18 kg bags and crates instead of 60 kg gunny bags .

 Farmers prefer to sell low quality fruit under MIS to government agencies to be crushed into juice and other processed products .