Shimla, April 03: Apple growers have strongly opposed the Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation’s (HPMC) decision to rent out its controlled atmosphere (CA) stores and grading and packing lines to private players. They argue the move favors private interests, potentially raising storage and processing costs while sidelining growers’ welfare.
“The private players will be focused on maximizing profits, not supporting growers,” said Lokinder Bisht, president of the Progressive Growers Association. “Without price caps on services, this decision will only drive up costs for storage, grading, and packing.”
Sohan Thakur, president of the Seb Utpadak Sangh, questioned the urgency behind the move. “Most of these facilities became operational only in the last couple of years. Instead of leasing them out, why isn’t HPMC working to make them self-sustainable?” he asked.
He also raised concerns over public investment in these assets. “These facilities were built or upgraded with public money, including funds from the World Bank-aided Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project. If they were meant to be handed over to private players, why invest public funds in the first place?” he said.
Growers also pointed to HPMC’s failure to fully utilize its infrastructure while private facilities thrive. “HPMC should offer smaller storage chambers for small growers, maintain competitive pricing, and market its services better to maximize usage,” said Harish Chauhan, president of the Fruit, Vegetable and Flowers Growers Association.
Chauhan also questioned the logic behind renting out state-of-the-art grading and packing lines. “HPMC owns some of the best equipment, yet private operators are making profits while HPMC struggles. Why can’t it generate revenue from its own facilities?” he said.
Bisht further criticized the corporation’s diminishing role in supporting growers. “HPMC was created to help farmers get fair prices, but it has no presence in mandis. Now, it’s handing over essential infrastructure to private players. If it intends to function like a profit-driven entity, it might as well be disbanded,” he said.
HPMC Managing Director Sudesh Mokhta defended the decision, citing underutilization as the key reason. “Over the past few years, only 20 to 25 percent of our storage capacity has been used. We want to ensure optimal utilization,” he said.
Addressing growers’ concerns, Mokhta said rental agreements would not significantly impact costs. “Rates are unlikely to differ from existing charges,” he assured.
