Growers Said the Minister of Horticulture of Himachal Must Come from the Apple Belt

Apple cultivators are requesting that the Horticulture Minister ought to be from among the MLAs from the region. Lokinder Bisht, president of the Progressive Growers Association, stated, “A person coming from the apple belt will understand and address our concerns much better than someone from the non-apple area.”

The Horticulture Minister had always been from the Shimla district, with the exception of Mahender Singh, who comes from Mandi and held the position in the current BJP administration. He did little to help apple farmers. Growers found it difficult to even meet him. Apple farmers eventually had to organize a protest against the government.

Growers feel the minister coming from the apple belt will be more accountable. “He will have to work for the betterment of apple growers because they will decide his political future in the next elections. Why will someone, say from Kangra, be really concerned about the apple economy and growers,” said Bisht.

The minister from the apple belt, according to the growers, will be more accountable. Because apple growers will decide his political future in the upcoming elections, he will need to work for their benefit.

They believe that when the Horticulture Minister came from the apple belt, the economy improved. Vidya Stokes served as the Horticulture Minister successfully during Congress rule. According to Kotkhai orchardist Pratap Chauhan, “She was the one who brought the state’s Horticulture Development Project, which was funded by the World Bank.”

Planting materials will be imported, cold stores will be upgraded, and a processing plant will be built at Parala mandi as a result of this project. BJP’s Horticulture Minister from the Jubbal-Kotkhai constituency, Narinder Bragta, established a mandi at Parala.