AFFI Calls for Apple Farmers’ Tractor Parade on January 26 and Grameen Bandh on February 16

A call for a tractor parade on January 26 and Grameen Bandh on February 16 was given at the First National Conference of the Apple Farmers’ Federation of India (AFFI), which took place in Chandigarh on January 18 and 19.

The AFFI said in a press release that the conference saw enthusiastic participation of apple farmers from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand as the two states and a UT sent 85 delegates.

“This historic conference has decided to launch intensive campaigns on the livelihood issues of apple growers from the village-level in the country’s apple belt and also lend its strength to the 26 January tractor parade and 16 February Grameen against the anti-farmer policies of the Union government and the betrayal of the promises made by PM Modi to farmers’ organisations during the suspension of the historic Kisan Andolan at Delhi’s borders,” it said.

The conference also passed resolutions against the amendment made to land laws in J&K recently and also adopted a charter of demands which was presented by former MLA Rakesh Singha.

“The Conference has demanded remunerative prices for apples, universal packaging and freight charges, subsidised cold storages, imposition of 100% import duty on apples, insurance against climate change and diseases, state support for producer cooperatives, etc. The Conference has decided to enrol a total membership of 56,000 growers till the end of 2024,” read the press release.

The AFFI said it currently has a membership strength of roughly 10,000 growers. 

An 11-member coordination committee was elected at the conference including Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, former MLA from Kulgam, and Rakesh Singha as coordinators.