HP: Apple farmers block highway after laborers' strike shuts market

Apple farmers blocked the National Highway on Saturday in Bhattakufer town in Shimla after the market was shut due to a strike by labourers.

A farmer, Manmoha Chauhan told ANI, "We are not able to sell our products and we have already suffered a lot due to floods. The labourers of Shimla have been on a strike from past few days. They have been protesting as four of their co-workers were injured after being hit by truck and authorities have not taken any action according to them. The strike is affecting us."

"We bring around 80,000 boxes of apples to the market every day and for last few days we have earned nothing," he said.

Sharing his agony, a farmer, Pratap Chauhan said, "The administration is doing nothing to resolve the issue so we have decided to protest and block the road today."

"We waited the entire night in the jeep to reach the market and when we arrived this morning we got to know that the market is shut. We have already incurred huge losses due to the floods and now there is this strike," he added.