Himachal govt to set up potato processing unit in Una

To bolster the economy of farmers while creating self-employment opportunities, the state government is working on setting up a potato processing unit in Una district, said Himachal chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

His statement came after chairing a review meeting to evaluate the progress of various schemes implemented by the horticulture department in Shimla on Monday.

Stressing the importance of diversification in horticulture the CM said that there was a need to develop improved storage and marketing systems to ensure fair prices for farmers and horticulturists. He said that the government was planning to establish modern cold storage facilities at the district level which would provide much-needed support to horticulturists.

During the meeting, the CM directed the department to prioritise Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) under Mandi Mediation to maximize benefits for farmers and horticulturists. He said that the state government was also contemplating to formulate ₹500-crore dedicated project for the rejuvenation of apple horticulture. This project would be implemented for five years and it will focus on promoting high-density plantations to enhance farmer’s incomes and strengthen the rural economy.

The CM reviewed the achievements of various state horticulture schemes during the financial years 2023-24 and 2024-25. Under the Horticulture Development Scheme ₹12.84 crore was spent on power tillers and sprayers, benefitting 4,244 horticulturists.

In the current financial year ₹9 crore has been utilised so far, benefiting 3,156 gardeners. Similarly, in the anti-hail net scheme ₹14.45 crore was spent last year benefitting 1,767 people, while during this financial year ₹10.3 crore has been spent so far benefitting 1,223 people. Additionally, ₹11 crore was utilised under the Himachal Pushp Kranti Yojana in 2023-24, benefiting 750 people.