Shimla: Apple Growers Suffer Due to Dilapidated Roads, Carrying Apples on Their Backs, Crop on Verge of Rotting

Shimla: Apple Growers Suffer Due to Dilapidated Roads, Carrying Apples on Their Backs, Crop on Verge of Rotting

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): In the remote areas of Rampur subdivision, continuous heavy rainfall and landslides have severely damaged rural roads, leaving apple growers struggling to transport their produce to markets. In Daran Valley and other affected regions, roads are blocked, forcing farmers to carry apple crates on their backs for kilometers to reach nearby mandis.

Apple Crop Nearing Ruin

Local farmers report that hailstorms and leaf fall disease have already damaged the crops earlier this season, and now with no access to roads, apples are not reaching markets on time, pushing the harvest toward rotting. This situation is leading to huge financial losses and wasting of the season’s hard work.

Backs Replacing Vehicles

Farmers like Shiv Ram and Roop Das from Daran Valley said that roads in their area have been blocked for days, and no alternate transport arrangements have been provided. They are carrying heavy apple boxes on their backs, a task that's physically exhausting and risky, especially for women and the elderly.

Call for Immediate Government Assistance

Former HIMCOFED Chairman, Call Negi, called the situation deeply concerning and urged the government to take immediate relief measures. He emphasized that financial support should be given to affected farmers, and road restoration work should begin on a war footing.

Frustration Over Administrative Inaction

Locals expressed anger, stating that road collapses during disasters have become a yearly ordeal, yet authorities fail to find a permanent solution. This time too, the lack of timely road clearance has endangered crops worth lakhs of rupees.

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