Shimla, September 20 — Apple growers are still awaiting payments for produce procured under HPMC’s Market Intervention Scheme, even as the corporation has reported a profit of nearly ₹12 crore and a turnover of ₹214.19 crore for 2025-26, raising questions over the functioning of the procurement system.
The issue is particularly serious for small and marginal growers, who allege that a part of their apple crop has been left to rot in orchards because Horticulture Department procurement centres have remained closed at several places.
Farmers say transporting small quantities of apples to distant operational centres is economically unviable because of high transportation costs. In several cases, they claim, the cost of transporting the culled or low-grade fruit is higher than its likely procurement value, forcing growers to leave the produce in the orchards to rot.
The growers say the situation defeats the purpose of the MIS, which is intended to provide a support mechanism for surplus and unmarketable horticultural produce. They question how the government can claim an effective procurement system when centres remain inaccessible to the very growers who need them most.
According to government data, HPMC had procured 4,188.504 tonnes of apples under MIS-2026 up to September 18, at the prescribed intervention price of ₹12 per kg.
Farmers, however, say the headline procurement figure does not capture the crop that was never brought to the centres because of distance, transport costs, registration difficulties or closure of procurement points.
They have also questioned the new digital procurement system, alleging that compulsory registration, uploading of land records, crop details and other documents has created additional hurdles for small and marginal orchardists.
Growers claim that many farmers are not familiar with online procedures and have faced difficulties while registering through the application. They allege that technical problems and documentation requirements have prevented some growers from completing the process within the required time.
The farmers have also questioned HPMC’s reported ₹214.19-crore turnover and nearly ₹12-crore profit for 2025-26, seeking a detailed explanation of how the corporation can report a profit while growers continue to complain about delayed payments and inaccessible procurement facilities.
They have specifically sought clarification on the ₹18.50 crore shown under horticultural inputs, asking HPMC to disclose what constitutes these inputs and how the expenditure translates into benefits for growers.
Farmers have separately raised allegations concerning fertilisers, pesticides, sprayers, pruning equipment and other machinery supplied through HPMC. They allege that some inputs and equipment were supplied at prices higher than comparable products available in the open market and have demanded disclosure of procurement prices, suppliers, tender details, quality specifications and farmer-sale prices.
Questions have also been raised over the functioning of procurement agencies and contractors engaged by HPMC. Growers want the government to disclose who was responsible for procurement at each centre, how much produce was lifted and how much remained unprocured.
The reported ₹158 crore MIS-related turnover has further prompted growers to seek a complete financial and procurement statement rather than aggregate figures alone.
Farmers want HPMC and the Horticulture Department to publish the number of operational and closed procurement centres, centre-wise procurement, payments released and pending, transport arrangements, unprocured produce and the number of growers covered.
The central question raised by the growers is blunt: if HPMC is reporting a profit, why are farmers still waiting for their money—and why is the produce of small and marginal growers being left to rot in orchards because procurement centres are closed or too far away?
#AppleGrowers #HPMC #MIS2026 #HimachalPradesh
