Himachal seeks central help to promote apple
June 30th, 2011 - 8:15 pm ICT by IANSShimla, June 30 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Thursday asked a visiting parliamentary committee to help the state in improving infrastructure for smooth transportation and marketing of apples - the main fruit crop of the state.
“Forty percent of apples being produced in the country are from the hill state but due to lack of infrastructure facilities, the apple growers are not getting remunerative prices,” Chief Secretary Rajwant Sandhu told the parliamentary standing committee on commerce here.
The state recorded a bumper production of 44.5 million boxes of 20 kg-weight in 2010-11.
Sandhu said Kangra tea grown on 1,000 hectares in the state is quite popular and its quality is even better than the one from Darjeeling. “The state has requested the Indian government to give a special package to the state for Kangra tea revival which would benefit the growers.”
The state is annually producing 800,000 kg of tea.
Parliamentary standing committee on commerce chairman Shanta Kumar told reporters that the panel is exploring and reviewing export promotion schemes pertaining to agriculture and processed food products.
He said private entrepreneurs could set up small processing units in the apple-growing areas in the state.
The economy of the state is highly dependent on apples, besides hydropower and tourism. The apple industry is worth Rs.1,500 crore (around $330 million).
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- Hike duty on Chinese apple: Himachal Congress - Jun 26, 2011
- Centre will help revive Kangra tea: Anand Sharma - Apr 10, 2012
- Adani procures apples from Himachal growers - Aug 14, 2011
- Separate authority to boost tea production in India - Dec 15, 2011
- Two cold storages to be set up in Himachal - Mar 25, 2011
- Tea Board earmarks Rs.300 crore for small growers - Apr 28, 2012
- Hail punctures hopes of Himachal apple growers - May 01, 2012
- Poor yield makes Himachal apple business fruitful - Sep 09, 2011
- Dry spell may upset Himachal's applecart - Jul 25, 2012
- Himachal wants import duty on apples hiked - Aug 03, 2011
- Himachal developing organic tea garden - Jun 01, 2010
- Himachal's apples - 70 percent less yield - Nov 01, 2011
- Himachal Pradesh goes for universal apple cartons - Apr 27, 2012
Tags: apple growers, apple industry, chief secretary, crore, export promotion, food products, fruit crop, hectares, himachal pradesh, hydropower, indian government, infrastructure facilities, parliamentary committee, parliamentary standing committee, private entrepreneurs, processing units, promotion schemes, sandhu, shanta kumar, shimla