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| Zargar inaugurates Kulgam satellite Fruit Mandi | | |
Srinagar, August 08 – Minister for Agriculture and Cooperation, Mr. Abdul Aziz Zargar today inaugurated a modern satellite Fruit and Vegetable Mandi at Kulgam in district Anantnag. Constructed at a cost of Rs.2.50 crore, the fruit mandi have 110 shop sites, 20 kiosks and other banking and Internet facilities for the fruit growers and traders. The mandi would provide marketing facilities to about 29000 fruit growers and 925 fruit traders of the area to sell their fruit produce directly to the buyers from within and outside the state.
The Legislators, Mr. M. Y. Tarigami, Mr. Sartaj Madni, District Development Commissioner, Anantnag, Mr. G. A. Peer, Director, Horticulture Planning and Marketing, Mr. Showkat Ahmed and prominent fruit traders were present on the occasion.
The fruit growers of the area were highly enthusiastic on the inauguration of the new fruit mandi and set up their fruit stalls on the auction shed of the fruit mandi for on the spot sale.
The Agriculture Minister inspected the fruit stalls and witnessed auction proceedings of the fruit.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister impressed upon the fruit growers to switch over from traditional wooden shook to innovative modes of packaging to enhance market acceptability of their fruit produce.
The Minister also announced to expand the fruit mandi, for which he instructed for acquiring additional 36 kanals of land to accommodate more fruit growers and traders for presiding shop sites. He said government would also procure A-grade apple from the fruit growers to export it under the brand name “Kashmir garden fresh”.
The Minister gave a detailed resume of measures taken by the coalition government to promote fruit industry in the state adding that in a bold and historical decision, toll tax on fruit was exempted for the first time in the state. This has saved about Rs. 60 crore annually. He said innovative market intervention scheme (MS) was launched in the state to provide price support to the fruit growers on C-grade fruits. He said apple-collecting centre under the scheme would be opened in every nook and corner of the state to benefit maximum number of fruit growers from the scheme. He said rejuvenation of old orchard is another scheme launched under technology mission to promote production of indigenous fruit varieties. These efforts here resulted in increasing fruit production in the state to 12 lakh metric tonnes, which was only 70,000 mts in 2002.
Speaking on the occasion, MLA, Kulgam urged for diversification in agriculture activity adding that in absence of congenial industrial atmosphere, horticulture and agriculture are the only viable sectors, which could generate employment opportunities in the State.
MLA, Devsar, Mr. Sartaj Madni also spoke on the occasion. |
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