The state’s first modular cold store to run on solar energy has started in Shiladesh Panchayat of Chidgaon tehsil of Shimla district. This cold store has been established by GIZ organization of Germany for the gardeners as a demonstration. It has the capacity to hold 1100 boxes at a time, which can be kept safe for up to four months. The store can be operated through the mobile app. The introduction of modern modular cold stores in the area has been made possible due to the efforts of Chowwara Valley Apple Society. Door-to-door cold store facility can prove to be a boon to the gardeners amid the falling prices of apples during the season. The modular cold store has been set up by GIZ organization of Germany in collaboration with gardener Virendra Bashata in Shiladesh. It can also be operated with electricity if needed. The modular cold store is fully modern, which can be operated remotely. Any technical fault in the cold store can be easily rectified even by sitting far away from the remote. Modular cold store controls the temperature and humidity required for apples. Store temperature can be taken down to zero °C. The organization is setting up a second cold store in Chirgaon, Andhra, with the help of a local gardener. This time due to the falling prices of apples during the season, the government and the opposition parties made many arguments for setting up cold stores, but till date no government has taken any step about developing door-to-door cold store chains necessary for horticulture. raised. Horticulture Development Officer Dr. Kushal Singh Mehta told that modular cold stores can prove to be a boon for the gardeners in the coming times. Dialogue One thousand gardeners in Chhawara Valley Apple Society The Chauwara Valley Apple Society comprises about a thousand gardeners. President of the society Sanjeev Thakur informed that the society had signed MoU with GIZ organization of Germany, under which the organization has been organizing camps since the year 2016 to educate and train the gardeners in the area continuously.