Srinagar, Mar 18: Sopore Apple Farmer Producers Company and Pune-based NGO Sarhad are jointly organizing the first-ever World Apple Conference in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, in June 2023.
The conference, scheduled for June 24-25 at the Sher-I-Kashmir International Conference Centre, aims to address the issues faced by the apple industry and empower apple growers of Jammu and Kashmir, who have suffered huge losses due to the fall in prices of their produce in recent years. Eminent personalities and experts from various fields, especially agriculture and horticulture, are expected to attend the event.
The conference will focus on promoting apple tourism, as the valley has significant potential in this area. Visitors will have the opportunity to interact with apple farmers, stay on their farms, and experience their way of life. The organizers hope that this will not only generate additional tourism revenue but also provide income for farmers.
Fayaz Malik, President of Sopore Fruit Mandi, said that the conference comes at the right time to explore possible avenues to help mitigate the effects of crop and financial losses due to natural disasters, low crop yield, weak markets, and storage issues. Crop insurance, value addition, cold storage, logistics, and supply chain management and integration will also be core focus areas of the conference.
Malik highlighted that the wastage of crop, both premature and post-harvesting, is another major issue faced by apple growers in the region. To address these challenges, eminent researchers and academics will participate in the event to contribute to sustainable and long-term solutions for fundamental issues in the apple industry and farming.
The conference also aims to promote better marketing and supply of Kashmiri apples across India while exploring export opportunities for the same.
