1st Governing Council Meeting of India Int’l Kashmir Trade Centre held

Pampore: The Ist Governing Council meeting of India International Kashmir Trade Centre (IIKSTC), Dussoo Pampore was held here Tuesday under the chairmanship of Secretary Agriculture Production Department (APD) Manzoor Ahmad Lone.
Managing Director National Horticulture Board Government of India, Ariz Ahmad was also present.
The Secretary APD said the e- auction facility has been introduced to maintain the identity of Kashmir saffron and get right prices pan India. He said the centre is first of its kind, where a high value Kashmir crop is included in e-auctioning platform. He said the step will generate the sense of security of Kashmir saffron, which was rapidly losing its identity against saffron being imported from Iran.
Ariz Ahmad said the saffron growers and Saffron traders will get a good market facility at the centre. He informed that the quality and grade of the saffron crop will be maintained and the interests of the saffron growers will be secured.
Earlier, Director Agriculture Kashmir Altaf Aijaz Andrabi gave a comprehensive power point presentation regarding the working of IIKSTC and progress on different components under National Mission on Saffron. He said the Centre is state of art facility which has been establishes at a cost Rs 37 crores and will serve the post harvest handling facilities like drying, grading, stamen separation, of saffron crop under the hygienic atmosphere. At his centre the Quality will be maintained, further the centre will provide evaluation and certification of the saffron. The centre will help to end the menace of spurious saffron and its adulteration.
Among others Director Horticulture Kashmir Manzoor Ahmad Quadri, M.D Agro industries Dev. Corporation J&K Bhawani Rakhwal, Rep. Secretary Spice Board M.Ansar, Special Officer Tea Board of India Nasrullah, Scientist from SKUAST (K) F.A Nehvi, Vice Chairman Chamber of Commerce J&K A.M.Mir, Joint Director Inputs Deepak Kuchroo, Project Coodinator Mushroom, representatives of Banks of National repute, and other concern officers of the department were also present.
Later an interactive meeting of saffron growers and traders was held, wherein issues related to the saffron marketing were discussed.