A US-based firm will buy apple juice from a state-run firm of north India's Himachal Pradesh, Indo-Asian Ews service (IAES) reported Wednesday.

However, the firm, Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC), will only be able to meet a fraction of the order due to low production.

"Tim Hemson and Company has requested the HPMC for 1,000 tons of apple juice concentrate. But due to our inability to produce that amount at our upcoming lone plant we will only be able to export about 40 tons to them," IAES quoted HPMC managing director C.R.B. Lalit as saying.

"We could meet the bulk of the U.S. company's demand if it installs latest machinery parts at our plant at its own cost. Tim Hemson officials are expected to come to Shimla to finalize the deal in a couple of months," Lalit said, adding that HPMC is also set to become the first company in India to package apple wine and cider in sleek tetra packs.

"In the first stage, we will produce 50,000 packets of wine in tetra packs in the market at our plant. Each pack will cost around 1 U.S. dollar," he revealed.

The state government has already granted permission for the wine factory in the area. Both wine and cider will be available in 200 ml tetra packs.

Source: Xinhua