Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 28: Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in association with National Horticulture Board (NHB), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India organized Conference on Re-Shaping J&K Agri- Horticulture at SKUAST, Jammu in order to provide expert knowledge to progressive farmers.
Anshal Gulati, Director, an industrialist while delivering welcome address stressed on need for creating a platform for sharing of ideas and issues between different stakeholders in this sector.
Uzair Javeed, chief operating officer of a Unit while addressing the farmers focussed on growing new varieties of fruit and discussed the interventions required to curb the post-harvest losses.
Gagan Jain, Managing Director of an industrial unit, said that horticulture production has taken over the agriculture production due to its high value in recent times and people in J&K should come up with innovative ideas and lead the reform in sector themselves rather than waiting for Government interventions.
Shafat Sultan, Managing Director, of a Corporation discussed the need for pre and post-harvest management techniques for increasing the output value of the produce of farmers. He also gave a presentation on status of horticulture in the State and later moderated a session on Doubling the Farmers Income.
Dr K S Risam, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST Jammu was the chief guest on the occasion. He suggested creation of Farmer Produce Organisations (FPOs) to farmers so that they can avail more benefits from the Government and get wholesale rates for inputs and output for the session. He later felicitated 3 progressive farmers from Jammu, Samba and Kathua
More than 100 progressive farmers, food processing companies, cold storage units and researchers were the key attendants for the programme.