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| Market yard to come up in Shimla soon |
| Baldev S Chauhan / New Delhi/ Shimla May 18, 2009, 00:41 IST |
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Kharapathar, a key location in the heart of Himachal Pradesh’s apple belt —Shimla district — will soon have a market yard. Work is scheduled to begin as soon as the election model code of conduct is lifted so that the yard is operational to sell the apple produce, which arrives during the monsoon that sets in between August and September, according to sources.
Kharapathar, a mountain pass with an altitude of 9,000 feet located 78 kilometre from Shimla, was originally a Tibetan settlement. It is surrounded by apple orchards of Rohru, Jubbal and Kotkhai, some of the largest apple producing valleys in the state. Shimla district alone accounts for 80 per cent of the total apple production in the hill state.
“Farmers will be able to sell their produce here and save a lot of money and time. No commission will have to be paid to buyers from outside the state, unlike bigger markets like Delhi where farmers have to pay commission and also more transportation costs,” state horticulture minister Narender Bragta told Business Standard.
Over Rs 3 crore will be spent on building this market yard, officials said. Besides apples, other fruits like cherries, plums, apricots, almonds and pears, and vegetables grown in the area will be marketed here, Bragta said.
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