Overview

The Lahaul Potato Growers Cooperative Marketing Cum Processing Society LimitedLahoul Valley offers a great potential for the production of quality and disease free seed potatoes previously the potatoes used to be grown only for domestic consumption. Mainly because of lack of roads heavy cost of transportation through mules unorganized markets etc. farmers of this valley could not commercialize this crop in spite of the most favorable climatic conditions. Being border area special attention was given to connect it with the rest of India through roads. Consequently with the opening of this valley for vehicular traffic the farmers immediately took up commercial cultivation of potato but again due to unorganized marketing farmers could not fetch remunerative prices of their produce. Realizing the potential in the valley for the production of seed potato and no other remunerative and alternative use of agricultural land initially very few farmers organized themselves to sell their produce collectively. To give a boost to this initiative and help other farmers also realize better prices for their produce Lahoul Potato Growers Co-operative Marketing cum Processing Society Limited. with its head office at Manali was registered on 28-05-1996 with initial membership of 20 growers under Himachal Pradesh Cooperative Societies Act. With the passage of time and due to demonstration effect of the performance of this society more farmers kept on taking membership year after year. It is a primary cooperative society which has operational area of Lahoul Valley. The basic objective of this society is to improve the socio-economic status of growers by marketing their seed potato and ensuing supply of agricultural and Horticultural inputs along with consumer goods to the rural poor at a reasonable price. The society is functioning as a price controller and suppliers of essential commodities to benefit its members as well as non-members. This institution has been a model marketing cooperative in Asia which has to its credit distinction of supplying disease free potato seed to entire country. It is known for varied activities ranging from basic necessities of people to secondary needs like supply of Petrol diesel kerosene oil procurement of agricultural and horticultural produce and comfortable stay of its members at Manali.