Himachal: Big relief to farmers and gardeners; fuel will be available in metal containers, order issued

June 20, 2026

Farmers and horticulturists will no longer be denied petrol or diesel at petrol pumps; they will now be able to procure 200 litres of fuel daily. Government orders clarify that the supply of petrol or diesel to farmers, horticulturists, and industries must not be refused. However, they are required to bring a metal container for this purpose, in which they can carry up to 200 litres of petrol.

District Food and Civil Supplies Controllers will monitor the situation to ensure no petrol pump operator refuses supply; any such refusal will attract action under the rules. Previously, farmers, horticulturists, and industrialists across the state faced difficulties due to the unavailability of fuel at petrol pumps.

Most agricultural and horticultural equipment runs on petrol, and many expensive industrial machines also operate on petrol or diesel. Since this equipment cannot be brought to the petrol pumps, fuel was often supplied in bottles.

Under the prevailing system, farmers, horticulturists, and industrialists were not being provided loose petrol or diesel at petrol pumps. This caused particular hardship for those needing to transport fuel to remote farms or orchards. Power tillers and other agricultural implements have small fuel tanks that run dry within three to four hours. Consequently, bringing the machinery to the petrol pump was inconvenient, and operators had to make repeated trips for fuel. The new arrangement allows them to transport larger quantities of fuel in a single trip using large metal containers, thereby saving both time and effort.