Reliance Retail Signs Agreement with HP SHIVA Project to Market Subtropical Fruits

Reliance Retail has entered into an agreement with the Himachal Pradesh Subtropical Horticulture, Irrigation and Value Addition (HP SHIVA) project to source and market horticultural produce grown under the initiative. Funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the HP SHIVA project aims to strengthen the state’s horticulture sector by promoting subtropical fruits such as guava, litchi, and lime, while also improving farmers’ incomes through modern irrigation systems, solar fencing, high-quality planting material, and assured market linkages.

In what marks a major breakthrough in connecting Himachal’s farmers with organized retail markets, the first consignment of sweet lime (mosambi) from the state has been supplied to Reliance Retail outlets in Rajpura, Punjab. The produce fetched significantly higher prices for farmers — nearly one quintal of fruit from the Phagog and Talwara clusters in Bilaspur district was sold at ₹44 per kg. Similarly, Vijay Singh Rana from the Dhanot cluster in Kangra supplied 80 kg of mosambi to the Reliance store in Kangra, earning ₹55 per kg.

According to Dr. Ramal Angaria, Assistant Project Director, Reliance Retail has appreciated the quality, size, shape, and colour of fruits from Himachal and has expressed interest in procuring larger quantities in the future. Fruit growers such as Bansi Ram, Prakash, and Yogesh said the partnership has opened a new and profitable avenue for them.

Project Director Dr. Devinder Singh Thakur described the collaboration with Reliance Retail as a milestone that will connect Himachal’s farmers with national and global markets. He said the HP SHIVA project not only trains farmers in modern horticultural practices but also ensures end-to-end market linkages, thereby enhancing the brand value and visibility of their produce.

Dr. Thakur added that the initiative’s goal is to help farmers transition from traditional to commercial and value-driven farming. Efforts are also underway to connect producers with other major buyers such as BigBasket, Agri Store, Zomato, and Amazon. He emphasized that the project’s integrated value-chain approach would help ensure sustainable markets and fair returns, transforming the horticultural landscape of Himachal Pradesh.