Jammu: One-day training cum awareness camp on Marketing of Vegetables under NABARD funded project entitled “Economic Analysis and Marketing of Vegetables” was organized by Division of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu on at Village Kalhar, Block Pouni of Reasi district under the dynamic leadership of Prof. J.P. Sharma Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Jammu.
The programme was organized for the Farmers’ of Farmer Producer Organization of Vegetables namely Reasi Vegetable Producers Company Ltd. and in the presence of officials of NABARD, Department of Agriculture and CEO of the Farmer Producer Organization.
More than twenty male and female member farmers’ of FPO Reasi participated in the programme and put forth their suggestions and demand for the marketing of vegetables. Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee meeting under the Chairmanship of Dr. Jag Paul Sharma, Director Research, SKUAST-Jammu and under supervision of Dr. Shahid Ahmad, Associate Director Research and Nodal Officer (PME Cell), SKUAST-Jammu was also conducted to review the implementation of the captioned project and future course of action to benefit the farmers.
Dr. Anil Bhat, Principal Investigator of the project briefed the farmers about aims and objectives of the project wherein sustainable business cum marketing model will be suggested for farmers’ to augment their income and appropriate market linkages will developed for better remuneration. He suggested to develop strategies and establish market linkages for increasing their share in consumers’ rupee. He emphasized the farmers that being a member of FPO to take advantage of Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs) and focus on post harvest management and processing of the commodities to reduce the losses and to increase the income.
Dr. Satesh Kumar, Associate Professor, Vegetable Sciences interacted with the farmers’ and suggested remedial measures to the problems arised during the production of vegetables. The farmers’ were also advised to go for cultivation of vegetables as per the market demand and for that matter crop/ vegetable calendar will be devised and disseminated to the farmers’.
Dr. Lakshmi Kant Sharma, Associate Professor, Agricultural Extension Education suggested the farmers to adopt technologies recommended by the University for cultivation of vegetables and also discussed appropriate use of farm inputs. Dr. Narinder Panotra, Assistant Professor, Agronomy deliberated upon the preparation of vermi-compost and suggested few organic and natural pesticides to control pests and diseases. The team of scientists also visited Kahna and Talwara area to collect primary data and interact with the member farmers of FPO in that area.
Earlier, Adarsh Gupta, District Development Manager, NABARD, Reasi welcomed the farmers’ and team of Scientists from various divisions of the University. He informed the participants regarding the various schemes and programme of NABARD and also highlighted the importance of marketing and processing. The programme was also attended by Harmeet Singh, AEA, Department of Agriculture, Sunil Kumar, CEO of the FPO, Reasi, Sharda Kumari, Director, FPO.
At the end of the programme vegetable seeds, seedling trays, vermicompost and pheromone traps were also distributed among few farmers to create awareness and also make them model farmers for replication of the same. Progressive farmers’ viz. Sharda Kumari and Deep Raj expressed gratitude to the organizers and requested that such programmes should be conducted frequently to create awareness among the farming community.
