The Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation Ltd. (HPMC) has reported improved financial performance, recording an annual turnover of about ₹111 crore and a net profit of ₹6.65 crore.
At the 220th meeting of the Board of Directors of the corporation, decisions were made to strengthen the corporation’s operations and support the state’s horticulture sector.
During the meeting, the board discussed various measures aimed at improving operational efficiency and enhancing revenue generation. The minister approved the formation of a sub-committee under the chairmanship of HPMC Vice Chairman Surender Sharma to prepare a comprehensive marketing plan for the corporation. The committee will also examine the possibility of developing HPMC’s vacant land and underutilised assets to expand commercial activities and strengthen the marketing network. It will also suggest steps to improve forward and backward linkages in the horticulture value chain.
The board also approved a proposal to set up a grading and packing line along with a Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage facility for the Chopal region using land available with the Horticulture Department. The facility is expected to benefit apple growers by improving fruit handling and storage infrastructure in the area.
The minister also addressed the shortage of manpower in the corporation and directed officials to deploy additional staff from the Horticulture Department on a secondment basis to ensure the smooth functioning of HPMC.
To ensure transparency and timely payments to orchardists, Negi asked officials to explore the possibility of making payments through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS).
Measures to support small and marginal farmers were also discussed during the meeting. The minister suggested arranging 10–20 bags of HMO Spray Oil to provide immediate relief and approved the provision of five HMO drums per eligible farmer, subject to verification of revenue records, so that assistance reaches genuine growers.
