Bandipora, Oct 06: The traditional potato preservation in Gurez Valley of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district is set to decline as the arrival of global chips industry giant will tackle marketing challenges.
For generations, the locals of Gurez have employed a traditional method to preserve their potato harvest by burying them beneath the soil to ensure their freshness until early spring.
As the autumn begins, the villagers begin their age-old ritual of potato preservation. These potatoes hidden from the harsh winter remain crisp and flavourful when the season turns.
As per the locals, a significant portion of the potato harvest faces the risk of going to waste in Gurez Valley, primarily because there is no viable market for these potatoes. Traditional preservation, which involved burying them in the soil, was not just a means to keep them fresh for spring consumption but also a strategy to wait for any potential marketing opportunities in the future.
Despite being a mega-producer of potatoes, the locals struggled to reach broader markets, leaving them with limited opportunities to showcase their agricultural prowess.
However, a ray of hope emerged on the horizon when PepsiCo, the international giant in the chips industry, made an announcement that sent ripples through the valley.
Last year, PepsiCo expressed its intention to source potatoes directly from Gurez. The news spread like wildfire and brought a glimmer of optimism to the valley.
Aijaz Ahmad, a farmer in Gurez told Rising Kashmir that they have preserved their potatoes this way for generations, but getting them to markets outside the valley has been their biggest challenge.
“PepsiCo’s interest is a game-changer for us. It not only will validate our methods but also promises a more stable income”, he said.
The initiative didn’t stop there. The Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-K), responsible for overseeing agricultural activities in Gurez, announced ambitious plans by revealing their intention to set up state-of-the-art chips-making machines in the valley to ensure value addition to the potato crop.
Bilal Ahmad, Head of the SKUAST-K centre in Gurez told Rising Kashmir that this endeavor aims to tackle the longstanding marketing challenges faced by the people of Gurez.
“By establishing these chips-making facilities, we not only will provide a direct market but will also create employment opportunities within the valley so as to improve the livelihoods of the local population”, he added.
