HPMC to produce wine, liquor from culled apple

The thrust of the Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC) will be on producing alcoholic beverages, including wine, liquor and schnapps, from culled apple procured under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS). Until now, much of the culled apple was used for producing juice and apple juice concentrate at the HPMC’s processing facilities. “The focus this time will be on producing more alcoholic beverages,” said C Paulrasu, Secretary (Horticulture).

Besides, the culled apple will not be auctioned at Parwanoo this time, as was the practice earlier. “We’ve engaged a company that will buy the culled apple from the HPMC at Rs 8 per kg. The company will be given excess apple that is left with the HPMC after meeting its processing requirement,” said Paulrasu.

Until now, culled apple was transported to Parwanoo, where it was auctioned. “Normally, apple was auctioned for Rs 3 to Rs 4 per kg at Parwanoo. We will get a much better price this time without having to auction the fruit,” he said. The HPMC would bear the cost of transporting the culled apple to Parwanoo. Till last year, a lot of rotten apple that was not auctioned was dumped in Parwanoo, causing environmental problems in the area, he added.

Paulrasu said that some culled apple used to come into the market when it was auctioned, affecting market rates.