Shimla, 18 December 2024—Himachal Pradesh has doubled its controlled atmosphere (CA) storage capacity over the past two years, significantly boosting infrastructure for horticultural produce, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced on Tuesday.
The state-run Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC) has expanded its total CA storage capacity from 3,380 metric tons (MT) in 2023 to 8,260 MT, spread across seven facilities. According to the chief minister, the upgrades aim to better support the state’s agricultural sector and provide enhanced storage solutions for farmers.
“The Gumma CA store has seen its capacity increase from 640 MT to 2,017 MT, while Jarol-Tikker can now store 2,062 MT, up from 640 MT. The capacity of the Rohru store has been raised from 700 MT to 2,031 MT. Additionally, new facilities have been established in Reckong Peo (250 MT) and Chachyot (500 MT),” Sukhu stated.
In his remarks, Sukhu outlined several farmer-focused initiatives implemented over the last two years. “We introduced the universal carton system and raised the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of apples under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) from ₹10 to ₹12 per kilogram. Additionally, we restored the subsidy on pesticides, which had been discontinued during the previous BJP regime, and cleared pending payments worth ₹150 crore to apple growers under the MIS,” he said.
The chief minister reiterated the government’s commitment to improving the welfare of farmers by modernizing infrastructure and providing financial relief, ensuring Himachal’s horticultural sector thrives in the coming years.
