Srinagar: Minister of State for Horticulture, Priya Sethi, Saturday called for concerted efforts for making Jammu and Kashmir Horticulture Produce Marketing & Processing Corporation (JKHPMC) vibrant and commercially successful.
The Minister was speaking at a meeting convened to review the functioning of the Corporation.
The Minister emphasized the need for adopting innovative measures to revive the overall functioning of the Corporation and turning it into a profit making organization.
She called for identifying new areas of business activities and asked the Corporation functionaries to furnish a comprehensive proposal for the revival of sick and abandoned units. She also underscored the need for promoting the Corporation products on modern lines.
Seeking details regarding the sale of fruit concentration, Priya Sethi was informed that various agencies are visiting plants regarding the sale of concentration. She stressed on taking measures for better marketing exercises to sell out the concentration.
The Minister was also informed that ultra-filtration equipment has been installed in plants for further processing of fruit concentration. She directed for improving the quality of concentration to meet the demands of the national and international market.
She said in addition to apple juice concentration the Corporation should also manufacture products like apple cider and apple vinegar.
On the occasion, the Minister directed for constituting a Purchases Committee to purchase fresh and dry fruits. She also directed for taking initiatives in selling products like fresh fruits and packed dry fruits besides fruit concentrate to get better returns.
Priya Sethi said Jammu and Kashmir is one of the largest fruit producing states in the country and that the State Government is making all-out efforts to tap its optimal potential.
The Minister also called for improving service conditions of the Department’s field staff so that they could serve the people in a more professional manner and achieve tangible results on the ground.
Vice Chairman JKHPMC, Ghulam Mohammad Mir, Secretary Horticulture, H M Malik, Managing Director JKHPMC, Javid Ahmad Shah, among Corporation officers were present in the meeting.
