Agriculture Deptt, Kashmir organizes Workshop on formation promotion of FPOs

Srinagar: Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Department, Kashmir in collaboration with PHD-CCI Saturday organized an interactive meeting/workshop on formation/ promotion of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO’s) in agriculture and other allied sector at Directorate of Agriculture, Kashmir.
The program was held under the chairmanship of Director Agriculture, Kashmir, Altaf Aijaz Andrabi.
On the occasion, Director Agriculture, Kashmir presented a detailed Power Point Presentation regarding agricultural activities and formation of FPOs for increasing the income of low and marginal farmers. He said the rural sector will be transformed by the constitution of Farm Produce Organizations besides creating new avenues for the development of the farm sector.
While envisioning benefits of FPOs, Andrabi said that formation of FPOs will help in doubling the farmers income by 2022. He added that in order to give required impetus to increase farmers’ income, formation of Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs), besides, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) is the only everlasting solution which is designed for economic prosperity of the farmers by way of transforming agriculture into a remunerative venture and farmers into agri-entrepreneurs.
Meanwhile, Director Agriculture reiterated that the present policies of government including formation of FPOs are best suited to J&K as the region is endowed with speciality/ niche crops viz. muskbudji (scented rice), red rice (zagg), sweet corn and baby corn in maize, saffron with G.I. certification, Rajmash, Basmati rice, Organic honey, Apple, Cherry, Walnut, Almond etc and with export potential, great demand and relevance in national and international markets.
While speaking on the occasion, Registrar of Companies, J&K and Ladakh, Haamid Bukhari emphasized on the team
approach to comprehensively help the farmers to transform themselves into agro-entrepreneurs.
Meanwhile, Co-chairman, PHD-CCI Kashmir, M Showkat Chowdhary assured that market linkage of the agriculture produce will be provided to the FPOs for earning better remunerative prices.
Experts from PHD and NABARD shared information on promotion and working of FPOs with the participants.
The meeting was attended by Registrar of Companies J&K and Ladakh, Syed Haamid Bukhari, Co Chairman PHD CCI Kashmir M. Showkat Chowdhary, State Expert Agri Business (PHD-CCI) Bilal Ahmad Kawoosa, Representative of NABARD Dr. Asif Ahmad Bhat, Project Coordinator Mushrooms Farooq Ahmad Shah, all Chief Agriculture Officers of Kashmir Division and representatives of selected FPO’s.