HP Invites Investment In Food Processing Units

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><root available-locales="en_US," default-locale="en_US"><static-content language-id="en_US"><![CDATA[<p>The ginger crop was badly hit by drought in 2009-10 and production came down to 14,900 tonnes, whereas it was 18,760 tonnes in 2008-09 and 19,200 tonnes in 2007-08, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said.<br><br>"We are inviting private firms to set up agriculture and food processing units as the state is one of the leading ginger producing states in the region and has produced 21,267 tonnes of ginger during 2010-11", he informed the house.<br><br>"Sirmaur is the leading ginger producing district as 70 per cent of the total production of the state comes from this district alone while it is also cultivated in Chamba, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan and Una districts", he added.<br><br>He said that agriculture was the main occupation of the people in the state, providing direct employment to 69 per cent of its workforce but more than 80 per cent horticulture and agricultural activities were rainfed.<br><br>(PTI)</p>