CM: Parala unit will be a boon for apple growers

Shimla, December 28

In a significant move to invigorate the apple economy of the state, the government has dedicated a cutting-edge HPMC Fruit Processing Unit at Parala in Theog assembly segment of Shimla district recently. Valued at Rs 101 crore, this unit is equipped with modern technology and machines, boasting a crushing capacity of 10 metric tonnes (MT) of apples per hour. During the peak apple season, it can process up to 18,000 MT of apples, yielding 1,800 MT of high-quality apple juice concentrate.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, said: “The fruit processing unit at Parala in Shimla established recently has the potential to transform the fortunes of apple growers. It will consume a significant quantity of culled apples procured under the Market Intervention Scheme by the HPMC, providing financial strength to the growers and reducing the transportation cost of their produces.”

He added: “Positioned strategically in the heart of the apple belt in Shimla district, this state-of-the-art plant encompasses apple juice concentrate (AJC), pectin, wine, vinegar and ready-to-serve juice (RTS) units. With the ability to produce 2,000 liters of juice in packaged bottles per hour, the pectin line contributes 800 kg per day during the apple crushing season. The wine unit has an annual capacity of 1 lakh litres while 50,000 litres of vinegar will be produced yearly. The AJC refinement process employs ultra-filtration technology, enhancing the overall quality of the processed AJC.”

Trials of the plant during the recent apple season were deemed successful, processing 5,706 MT of apples and producing 591 MT of AJC, valued at approximately Rs 15 crore in various forms. The horticulture sector has long been a major contributor to the state’s economy with diverse fruit crops successfully grown across 2.36 lakh hectares in 2022-23. The total fruit crop production in the same year reached 8.14 lakh MT with apples alone contributing a staggering 84.54 per cent, totaling 6.72 lakh MT.