HPMC achieves turnover of Rs. 72 crores

Shimla, October 16, 2016: Himachal Pradesh Marketing Corporation (HPMC) achieved the highest sales turnover of Rs.72 crores during the financial year 2015-16 and registered an overall growth of about 73 percent of previous year and have set up a sales target of Rs.91.17 crore sales for the financial year 2016-17.

Vice Chairman HPMC Shri Prakash Thakur disclosed this during the 186th meeting of Board of Directors of HPMC, on Friday evening.

Shri Thakur informed that with this achievement the Corporation has been able to reduce its losses from Rs.6.52 crores to Rs.2.86 crores during 2015-16 and the efforts were being made to bring the Corporation into profit in the next financial year. He further said that during the current apple season HPMC also procured about 7602.665 metric tonne of apples valuing about Rs.494.17 lakhs under the Market Intervention Scheme and have procured about 458.66 metric tonne of apple juice concentrate till 13th October, 2016.

He further informed that the Corporation has so far procured about 8000 crates of quality apples directly from the farmers on outright purchase basis in District Kullu and would be procuring more during the next couple of months. He said that the HPMC intervention in the apple procurement would achieve twin objective of helping the farmers to get good rates for their produce at their farm house on one hand and HPMC would also be able to establish its name in the market.

He said that all the fruit has been stored in Controlled Atmosphere Store at Patlhikhul set up recently by the Corporation and would be marketed through various retail outlet chains during April – June 2017 which would generate good revenue for the Corporation. He said that Controlled Atmosphere Stores of the Corporation at Gumma, Jarol- Tikkar, Rohru, Oddi in District Shimla and Patlikhul in District in Kullu have been filled to their capacity with apples both by farmers and bulk buyers.

Shri Thakur said that the Corporation would soon tie up with STILH Pvt. Ltd a subsidiary of reputed German Company for supply of quality power tools and Horticulture equipments. He said that the Corporation would also be making elaborate arrangements with reputed companies/ suppliers for the procurement of quality farm inputs like fertilizers, manures, tree spray oil, tools and implements for further supplies to the farmers of the State at competitive prices.

He also informed that the board had also approved the release of six percent Dearness Allowance w.e.f. 1st January, 2016 to its employees on the pattern of the State Government.

Managing Director HPMC Shri J.C. Sharma detailed about the various activities of the Corporation.

Senior officers of HPMC were also present in the meeting.