Srinagar, Nov 05: Department of Horticulture Planning and Marketing J&K is working on several initiatives to improve the marketing of horticulture produce including apple.
Deputy Director, Central Department of Horticulture Planning & Marketing J&K, Manzoor Ahmad Mir said last year there were some problems on the Srinagar-Jammu highway which had caused losses to the farmers as apple laden trucks would be stuck for days.
“However, this year we held meetings with DC Anantnag and DC Ramban and Horticulture Department. We made joint teams so that the movement of trucks is supervised on the highway,” he said.
He said these days some 1200 to 1500 fruit laden trucks move outside Kashmir from mandis and orchards. “This year we did not face any kind of issue as for as transportation is concerned. The weather conditions have also remained favourable for the past two months,” the Deputy Director said.
Mir said the condition of Srinagar-Jammu highway has also improved. However, there are some patches on the Ramban side which will be cleared this year and it will improve further.
“The need of the hour is that farmers have to forget the traditional method of marketing and learn new and innovative ways. In this regard, we have been creating awareness among the public about the new marketing techniques,” the Deputy Director said.
He said the Department of Horticulture Planning and Marketing J&K has been encouraging people to prefer mechanical grading to fetch good returns in the market.
As part of the marketing intervention, he said they have encouraged people to use cardboard boxes to carry apples rather than wooden boxes to give it a better look.
“We are also focusing that apple growers should make small boxes/packets of apples which could be easily carried and purchased by the consumers,” he said. He informed that 98 percent of the apple has been harvested in Kashmir valley till date.
On the other side, Mir said the Government of India and UT Government is focussing to integrate the fruits mandis and cold storages to eNAM.
The Deputy Director said that the eNAM has ended the role of middlemen so that the growers can get the better process of their produce. He said there are 25 mandis in Jammu and Kashmir UT out of which 17 have been integrated with eNAM.
He said that the Department of Horticulture Planning & Marketing J&K is working on mission mode to integrate the rest of the mandis with the eNAM. “We have conducted awareness programs in every district and field officers have explained the benefits of the eNAM to the farmer,” he said.
The Deputy Director said so far the department has registered more than 36,000 farmers who produce apple, cherry, pear, peach plum and they do their marketing easily on the eNAM.
“The farmers should register themselves at the respective mandis and they can come on the e-trade platform. Our Area Marketing Officers and concerned district officers are available at mandis and farmers should take benefit of the same,” he added.
He also said that they have been encouraging farmers to switch over to e-marketing and farmers also need to be alert and take the benefits of the government facilities.
Mir also said that the department has also special focus to improve the cold storage facilities as there is capacity of 2.5 lakh MT while 8 lakh MT capacity is needed.
“Apple is harvested and transported to the mandis at the same time. When the apple is retained in cold stores it will fetch good returns,” he said.
The Deputy Director said Kashmir American variety is the only apple variety grown mostly in north Kashmir that is exported these days to Nepal and Bangladesh.
He said this year they expect production of 21 lakh mt apple produce in the valley out of which some 7.5 lakh mt apples has been transported outside Kashmir till 02 November involving some 60,000 trucks.
