Punjab Newsline, Shimla, December 28-
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said here today that the state government is planning to establish a potato processing plant in Una district, with an investment of approximately Rs. 20 crore.
The plant will have a minimum processing capacity of 500 kg per hour and will primarily focus on producing potato flakes and agricultural department has been directed to formulate a detailed project report (DPR) in this regard. He said that agriculture accounts for 14 percent of Himachal Pradesh’s Gross State Domestic Product, with potatoes being a key crop. Potatoes contribute around 20 percent of the state’s total vegetable cultivation, yielding approximately 2,38,317 metric tonnes from 16,960 hectares. The establishment of the potato processing plant will help ensure better remunerative prices for potato farmers and boost the local economy by creating employment opportunities both in the factory and the agricultural sector, he said.
Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said “By processing potatoes into value-added products like flakes, the plant will help stabilize the potato market and reduce the vulnerability of farmers to price fluctuations in the fresh potato market. Potato flakes are made by cooking, mashing, and drying the potatoes to create flat, dehydrated chunks, which are then packaged for sale.”