Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Raghav Langer on Friday reviewed the functioning of Horticulture Planning and Marketing Department (HPMD) here at a meeting with Deputy Commissioners of Jammu division and concerned officers.
The meeting was attended in person by Director Horticulture Planning and Marketing Department, Vishesh Mahajan; Deputy Director HPM, Ayaz Ahmed; Assistant Director HPM, Tehsin Iqbal chib; Deputy Director Planning, Munish Dutta besides Deputy Commissioner of Jammu Division alongwith concerned district officers participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
The Divisional Commissioner reviewed the department schemes and plans besides functioning of existing fruits and vegetable markets in the districts.
Director HPM gave a detailed powerpoint presentation and apprised that in Jammu division the Department is managing 18 Mandis in 09 districts out of which 12 are functional and 06 are under development.
While giving details of objectives, the director informed that the objectives of the department was to facilitate farmers for enhancing their Income by Providing Market linkages, introducing new techniques, helping the farmers in the value addition and supply chain to ensure that their interest were not compromised, provide training and advising the farmers on various aspects of grading, packaging, value addition and processing, establishing Mandis for providing organized marketing centers to the traders and growers of J&K and guiding the farming community for adopting new technologies and farming methods for enhancing production and quality of the crops.
The Div Com also sought details from the Deputy Commissioner about the functioning of Mandis in their respective districts.
It was informed that total 18 mandis are functional in Jammu division including 4 in Jammu, 2 in Udhampur, 3 in Poonch, 2 in Kathua, 2 in Reasi, 1 in Samba, 1 in Rajouri, 1 in Ramban and 2 in Doda.
The Div Com said that Horticulture was one of the important sectors of Jammu and Kashmir and contributes immensely to the economy.
He directed the Deputy Commissioner to identify suitable state lands in their respective districts for establishment of more mandies to provide a better market to the farmers' produce. He said that the sector strengthens the financial condition of people associated with it and also helps in employment generation and other developmental aspects.
The variety of horticultural products of Jammu division has earned world-wide fame because of its good quality and taste.
The fruit crops grown here like apple, almonds, walnuts, pears, cherries and apricots in temperate areas and mango, citrus, litchi, etc in subtropical areas are known all over the globe, hence adequate marketplaces were the need of the hour.
He instructed the DCs to explore possibilities of expansion of existing mandis in the districts.
Calling for providing a better market to the fruit growers, Dr Langer stressed on opening up of sale points at potential places in each district like on National Highways.
The Director HPM informed that department has made many interventions in recent past which includes introduction of Artificial Intelligence for Grading, Packaging and Auctioning of farmers produce, connecting farmers directly with consumers at tourist destinations, formation of Cooperatives for helping the marginal farmers especially in far flung areas of Jammu division, establishment of direct linkage of farmers with e-commerce giants like Amazon and other online platforms like HFN, introducing the farming community with Mega players like Reliance, Big Basket and others, holding camps in far flung areas with an aim to ensure that the schemes launched by GOI/ J&K UT Govt reaches the last farmer on the ground, Connecting farmers and traders with the e-National Agriculture Market for the mutual benefit of both,
The Div Com stressed that there was tremendous potential for development of the horticulture sector and there was a need to harness available potential through scaling up ongoing interventions.
The Div Com directed the Director Horticulture to conduct visits to all the districts of the division and assist DCs and concerned officers for development of horticulture.
He instructed the Deputy Commissioner to resolve minor issues if any which are hampering the functioning of existing mandies on priority. He asked the DCs to also monitor the development works executed in the mandis for infrastructure development under PMDP, Languishing, Capex Budget.
While giving details of the status report of Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, (PMFME –ODOP) Cases of Jammu Division it was informed that 121 applications were received from the interested farmers.