Rs 20 crore potato processing unit to come up in Una: Agri Minister

Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar today said that a potato processing unit would be set up in Una district at a cost of Rs 20 crore.

The minister, while speaking during the Himachal Day function in Una, said, “Potato is cultivated at a large scale in Una. The processing plant will help farmers to sell their produce at better prices.” He added that the proposed unit would produce a variety of potato-based products, including fingers, chips and glucose.

Chander Kumar said that it was the endeavour of the state government to increase the income of farmers as well as to boost the rural economy. He added that more than 70 per cent of the population in Una depends on agriculture for livelihood. He said that the Agriculture Department would procure naturally cultivated wheat and maize crops for Rs 60 and Rs 40 per kg, respectively. He urged the farmers to stop using chemical fertilisers and pesticides on crops so that they could fetch better prices in the market.

The minister said that Himachal Pradesh was the first state to give minimum support price (MSP) on milk. He added that the MSP on milk had been enhanced from Rs 45 per litre to Rs 51 per litre in the past two years for cow milk and from Rs 55 per litre to Rs 61 per litre for buffalo milk.

He said that a milk processing unit was being set up in Kangra district at a cost of Rs 230 crore to boost the income of farmers rearing livestock. He added that 10 guarantees given to the people by the Congress were being fulfilled in a phased manner. He alleged that the Central Government had been ignoring the interests of the state and its people.