Government of Uttarakhand agencies giving merely 9 Rs rate per kg to Malta producers whereas the Dhadh organization buying their produce at the rate of Rs. 25 and 30 per kg
There is no adequate distribution of various agricultural products especially fruits like MALTA through government agencies giving its producers at the decentralised level good and healthy profitable margin thus compelling the producer small farmers at the decentralised levels to take their MAILTA in abundance to Delhi and NCR like Ghaziabad on their own.
However, it is the DHAAD social organisation which has come forward to buy the Malta at Rs. 30 a kilogram from the farmers at he decentralised level against the ridiculous low rates of Rs. 9 per kg given by the Uttarakhand government agencies even less than their basic minimum rates of their input costs.
What is interesting to note here is that in Uttarakhand every year despite no governmental support the farmers at the decentralised levels at Garhwal, Kumaon and Jaunsaar Bhavar cumulatively produce thirty thousand metric tonnes of Malta. This comes to about three crores kg of Malta fruit which is used in making juice, good for health.
According to Rajpal Bisht, Congress leader the government has been extremely pathetic towards the farmers producing Malta in abundance not giving the producers the benefit of the minimum profit not to speak of the adequate profit.
The concerned government agencies are not providing the producers of Malta fruit the expected monetary profit as there is the shortage of facilities of adequate storage and distribution of the produce to reach the market including ensuring it’s proper sale.
The minimum support price of Malta has been fixed by the government at Rs 9 per kilogram due to which farmers get prices lower than the cost reveals Bisht.
The government should increase the minimum support price, establish juice and processing units at the local level and promote cooperative marketing, so that the income of Malta farmers can be increased emphasised Rajpal Bisht standing with the truck of Malta at Satpuli market which was heading for Ghaziabad for self sale at higher rates after they feel cheated by the negligible rate of merely Rs. 9 per kg fixed by the government of Uttarakhand.
However, keeping in mind the interest of Malta cultivators, in the last 25 days, 10 tonnes of Malta has been sent from Pauri district alone to the buyers in the plains at the rate of Rs 25 and 30 per kg by Dhaad organization.
This is primarily due to a lack of adequate incentives, marketing facilities, and fair prices from the state government.
Farmers lack access to storage, processing, and direct market access said Bisht describing the pathetic attitude of the governmental agencies towards the producers of Malta at the decentralised level.
He added that Eight tons of malta were collected from the Satpuli center in Dhaad alone through Devendra Negi (Debu Bhai).
Of this, 15 quintals were sent to Brijvihar, Ghaziabad where Malta Festival (Kachmoli) has been organised by “Dagdiyon Ke Savera Group and Matrishakti” on Sunday, 21st December.
He thanked and expressed his gratitude to the Dhadh family for helping the producers of Malta from time to time understanding their pain and providing some relief by buying their produce at comparatively much higher rates than the government.
He also lauded the efforts of the former CM of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat for organising the MALTA parties from time to time to popularize this product and encourage the producers of MALTA at the decentralised level in Uttarakhand.
