Govt to consult Law on standard cartons for apples

The apple growers in the state have been using telescopic cartons of unspecified capacity of 20 to 30 kg. But international standards require a standard size box of 20 kg weight — a proposal mooted by Congress Legislature Party leader Vidya Stokes last year.

Stokes,herself a pioneering apple orchardist,had written to Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and the Horticulture Minister to explore possibilities for enacting legislation for the standardisation of grading and packaging of apples to ensure that the growers got due remunerative returns for their produce.

The apple produce in the state has been facing a stiff competition from the imported varieties,which come in standard size boxes. The telescopic boxes,adopted by the growers after switching from traditional wooden boxes in early nineties,do not provide fully safety to the fruit and also deprive the growers of remunerative prices.

“The telescopic cartons suffered inherent drawbacks in the transportation of fruit,such as heavy grading,the need for preparation of extra packing layers,blockage of air slots and low storage capacity,which drove up the price of apples and other fruits. The government will work for a consensus and also take a close look at the laws to see how practical it will be to switch over to standard size packaging,” Pharka told The Indian Express,adding that he had held a meeting with the manufacturers and taking into account all administrative and legal aspects.

Stokes also feels that “apples are to be graded as per colour,size and shape”. “Unfortunately,no uniform standards for grading have been prescribed and every individual grower has been following his own standards. It was high time that standards were framed for grading and packaging to save the apple industry,” she said.