J&K: Horticulture department organizes mega export conclave in Jammu

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], March 20 (ANI): The Department of Horticulture Planning and Marketing on Monday organized a mega export conclave at Jammu, which was participated by exporters from across the country dealing in the export of Agricultural and Horticultural produce.

The participants shared their rich experience and valuable inputs enabling J-K to further expand its export prospects.

Various key agencies involved in Exports Promotion including APEDA, DGFT, Federation of Indian Exporters Organizations (FIEO), Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) and Indian Postal Department shared the mandatory requirements for a successful export trade besides policies and programmes of the government.

Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo, who chaired the conclave, elaborated on the current policy and government plans to evolve an export promotion policy for the betterment of the farmers and other stakeholders from Jammu and Kashmir.

He emphasized that the government is fully committed to exploring all possibilities for more proactively and effectively supporting the farmers, FPOs, cooperatives, traders and exporter community of J&K.

“Valuing over Rs 5,000 crore projects have been conceptualized and meticulously prepared under Holistic Agriculture Development Programme embarked by the J&K UT,” he said.

“Agriculture Branding Centers, Rural Service and Business Hubs, Augmentation of CA Stores and Markets, Composting Plants, and Creation of Market Intelligence Cells are some of the areas to be focused on in the stated project,” he further said.

“A massive capacity development programme is underway to train and sensitize all the stakeholders in respect of provisions of the Projects,” he added.

He also stated that the government is expeditiously moving to widen its bucket of GI products and has already constituted an Apex committee headed by Dr Mangla Rai for Export Promotion Roadmap for J&K and active consultations with all stakeholders in this regard are underway.

Director of Horticulture Planning and Marketing, Vikas Sharma in his welcome address, said. “The department has taken up many steps to give a fillip to the marketing infrastructure in the region. The department has also organized Buyer-Seller Meets at Kolkata and Jammu in the recent past which benefitted the growers of the UT.”

The participants from across the UT were very enthusiastic about the Export Conclave and some also matured the contracts with the exporters for the supply of their respective produce.

They were of the view that the initiative taken by the Government to bring the Buyers/Exporters/Traders from various locations at the farm gate of the growers/farmers of the UT shall definitely showcase our produce to National and international markets resulting in increased demand for our products and eventually boosting our rising economy.

Earlier, a detailed presentation was made by Dr Sudhanshu depicting the exports scenario of agri-horticulture commodities in J&K.

It was brought out that the focus of the UT is on the export promotion of crops like Fresh Fruits including Apples and Cherries, Walnuts, Almonds, Saffron, Honey, Vegetables, Processed Foods, Wool and Skins, Basmati, Pulses, Silk, Lavender and other Aromatic products.

Dr PK Joshi, an eminent personality in the field of Agriculture, in his address, congratulated the UT government for bringing out proactive and farmer-centric measures to boost the economy of the UT. He appreciated the steps and initiatives taken in recent times and shared that J&K is now being looked at by other States for emulation.

The Export Conclave was also attended by the Heads of Department, Agriculture Production and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Representatives from APEDA, DGFT, FIEO, ECGC, Indian posts, IIT, IIM, Jammu University, NABARD, SKUAST, NHB, Kisan Board Members, DMI, Farmers, FPOs, Cooperatives, Entrepreneurs, Exporters, and Market associations. (ANI)