Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 9: Department of Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Jammu organized an interactive session with Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu faculty at Krishi Bhawan Talab Tillo Jammu here, today.
The meeting was conducted to discuss the way forward for value addition, brand promotion and marketing of specialty agriculture products like Basmati, honey, Rajmash, Guchhi, snow mountain garlic, saffron, anardana, Kaladi and Kulthi.
Joint Director of Agriculture (Marketing), Rajan Sharma, Joint Director (Mushroom & Apiculture Development) Iqbal Singh, Deputy Director Planning, Reshu Gupta, CAO Kathua, Vijay Uphadhya, CAO Jammu, A.S. Reen, CAO Samba, Sanjay Verma, Agronomist (Vegetable Improvement Scheme), J. C. Raina, Experts from IIM Jammu, Professor Jabir Ali, Dr. Archna Sharma, Dr. Akash Kamble, Dr. Mahesh G besides other senior officers of the Agriculture Department participated in the programme.
The Director Agriculture Jammu, K. K. Sharma on the occasion highlighted the peculiarities of Agri-specialty products and requested the visiting IIM faculty members to suggest appropriate models/interventions for streamlining the marketing of these products so that farmers may get remunerative returns. The Director underscored the importance of branding and value addition in making local specialty products globally competitive.
It was given out that various farmers welfare schemes are being implemented by the Department of Agriculture to enhance the production and productivity of crops for doubling the farmers income. The formation of Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs)/ Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBOs) and Agri-start ups were also discussed in the meeting.
The IIM team led by Prof. Jabir Ali interacted in the meeting and acknowledged the efforts being put in by Department for agriculture development and farmers welfare.
IIM faculty also affirmed their role in promoting “JMU-KHETI” brand recently launched by the Department. Later Director Agriculture along with the other participant visited Vegetable Demonstration Unit at Krishi Bhawan Talab Tillo Jammu where he inaugurated first picking of Pink Okra (variety Kum-Kum). It was apprised on the occasion that cultivation of Pink Okra has been done for the first time at the Vegetable Demonstration Unit under Vegetable Improvement Scheme. The visiting team was also shown the medicinal and aromatic plants and vegetable crops being raised in Growbags to promote rooftop/urban farming.
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