Srinagar, Mar 24: The government on Monday said that Fruit & Vegetable Mandi in Sopore in north Kashmir recorded a turnover of Rs. 1300 crore in 2024-25.
In a written reply to an unstarred question raised by MLA Sopore Irshad Rasool Kar, Minister incharge informed the house that over the past three years, Sopore has witnessed remarkable growth with the establishment of 17 food processing units.
“Of these, three units were set up under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) and 14 micro units under the Pradhan Mantri Formulation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME),” it said.
The government further said that Sopore now boasts a 10,000 MT per year Apple Juice Plant and a 65,000 MT per year Corrugated Box Manufacturing Unit. Additional facilities include a Fruit and Vegetable Processing Centre and an Integrated Pack House with pre-cooling and cold storage at Doabgah, it said.
“We are committed to supporting orchard development. Under the High-Density Plantation Scheme, 50% financial support is provided for establishing new orchards. Through the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), farmers receive up to Rs. 6 lakh per hectare for rejuvenating old orchards,” government said in its reply.
To promote sustainable farming, it said that in the last two years, 10 greenhouses and 24 vermicompost units were established. Assistance for Hi-Tech Greenhouses under HADP covers 80% of the unit cost, while Poly Greenhouses receive 50% support under MIDH.
“There are no immediate plans to establish a separate vegetable mandi in Sopore. The existing 473-kanal Fruit & Vegetable Mandi, equipped with 15 auction platforms and another under construction, continues to accommodate vegetable trade effectively,” it said in its reply.
