After fruit market complex, Sukhu talks about Rs 26 cr winery project in apple-belt

Shimla: In a significant push to strengthen the horticulture economy and ensure better market access for fruit growers, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced plans for a state-of-the-art winery project worth 26 crore at Parala, a key hub in Himachal Pradesh’s apple-growing belt.

The Chief Minister reaffirmed his government’s commitment to creating robust infrastructure, promoting value addition, and empowering orchardists through modernised facilities.

Arriving at Theog, after his tour of Ani, an interior of Kullu district, Sukhu inaugurated the newly constructed bus stand at Theog, built at a cost of Rs 14.84 crore, and the APMC Fruit and Vegetable Market Complex at Shilaru, constructed at a cost of Rs 23 crore on Wednesday.

Addressing a public gathering, the Chief Minister said that the bus stand project, which had been pending for the last 12 years, has now been completed and dedicated to the people, fulfilling a long-pending demand.

The Chief Minister said that the newly inaugurated Fruit and Vegetable Market Complex at Shilaru would provide a reliable platform to local farmers and horticulturists to get fair prices for their produce, saving both time and money.

To further benefit local fruit growers, he said that work on a Rs 26 crore winery at Parala Market would commence soon.

The government has already granted licence to Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC) to establish a winery in Theog subdivision of Shimla district.

The winery is expected to boost the state’s horticulture sector while opening up new employment opportunities for local residents, he said.