SHIMLA-6^th October, 2024-Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said here today that the Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC) has processed a record 1,545 metric tons (MT) of apple juice concentrate across its three plants as of October 4, 2024. He said, “It includes 814 MT from the Parala plant in Shimla district, 653 MT from the Parwanoo plant in Solan district, and 78 MT from the Jarol plant in Mandi district.” He said that HPMC is crushing nearly all of the apples procured, with minimal fruit being sold through auctions. 92 percent of the apples procured this season are being processed, due to strict adherence to procurement standards.

The Chief Minister stated that under the MIS this year, a total of 29,200 MT of apples have been procured in the state. Of this, 19,437 MT were purchased through 206 procurement centres HPMC, while 9,764 MT were procured through 109 centres of Himfed. The apple season in the state is ongoing and procurement under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) continues, with processing expected to increase as procurement grows. In an effort to enhance the quality of apple procurement under the MIS, HPMC has piloted the purchase of 1,219 MT of apples from farmers using crates. For the first time, apple procurement has also begun in the remote area of Pangi in Chamba district, he added.

Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said HPMC has introduced an online portal to improve the MIS. Procurement is now managed through this online system, which provides real-time data on procurement, transportation, crushing at processing plants, auction of fruit, booking of CA stores and direct bank transfer linkage which is ensuring transparency and efficiency in services provided to apple growers.

He said that the present state government has demonstrated its commitment to ensuring the welfare of apple growers by mandating the use of universal cartons for the sale of apples. Furthermore, the state government has also reduced the rental fee for Controlled Atmosphere (CA) stores from Rs. 1.90 to Rs. 1.60 per kilogram. In addition, HPMC has lowered its profit margin on horticulture inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers provided to apple growers, reducing it from 15 percent to 9 percent, further supporting the growers’ community.

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the state government plans to construct a unique geothermal cold store in Tapri, Kinnaur district, which is expected to be operational next year. He said “HPMC has enhanced its processing capacity, with this year's crushing capacity increasing from 21,000 MT to 39,000 MT compared to the previous year. Additionally, the grading and packaging line capacity has been enhanced from 15,900 MT to 33,900 MT. The wine units at Parala and Jarol have a combined annual capacity of 1.50 lakh litres. A new vinegar unit at Parala has an annual capacity of 50,000 litres, while a new pectin unit at Parala can produce 1.2 metric tons per day and the ready-to-serve juice unit now has a daily capacity of 20,000 litres.”

Furthermore, the Chief Minister said that HPMC has expanded its market presence by engaging pan-India distributors and opening new retail outlets at Delhi Metro stations and other prominent locations across the country.