Jammu and Kashmir govt pitches for agro-logistic centres for horticultural industry

The Jammu and Kashmir government Tuesday called for establishing a chain of agro-logistic centres (ALCs) in the state to improve processing, storage, quality assurance, transportation and distribution of horticultural and allied produce.

"ALCs will provide all necessary post-harvest facilities and services in one place to improve value chain from farm to market through increased efficiency gains for all participants and increase price transmission to small-scale producers and small and medium-sized agribusinesses," Principal Secretary Finance Navin K Choudhary said.

He was speaking at pre-budget discussions of the agriculture production, horticulture, floriculture, animal and sheep husbandry and allied departments here, an official spokesman said.

Kashmir-based officers joined the meetings through video-conferencing.

He said the ALCs would also help increase domestic sales and exports of horticulture produce while reducing post-harvest losses and handling costs.

"Horticulture remains a promising sector in Jammu and Kashmir. This important sector, however, is still underdeveloped due to lack of access to modern production and post-harvest technology and financing," he said adding the government would explore the possibility of financing ALCs on a pilot basis.

He called upon the heads of departments of agriculture, horticulture and floriculture departments to evolve new concepts and innovations by adopting a multi-cropping system in the potential areas to enhance production and productivity in the state.

The principal secretary also called for making optimum use of available resources and formulation of innovative projects to help boost the state's rural economy.

Choudhary laid stress on developing high-density nurseries, seed farms and providing advanced technologies to the farmers so that they can adopt these concepts for enhancing the production.

He called for organising the farmers to adopt the cluster approach in the development of mushroom, poultry and dairy sectors which have a great scope in the domestic market.

The secretary asked for encouraging the farmers to be competitive with their Punjab and Himachal counterparts in developing the latest varieties of fruits, vegetables and multi-grains to earn more profits.

He also suggested measures which can be more useful for the farming community.

In the marathon deliberations, the principal secretary finance sought the suggestions from concerned officers vis-à-vis realisation of targets, revenue generation and implementation of various programmes by these departments and future plans for the next financial year.

Choudhary laid stress on the realisation of targets and spending the resources strictly under the budgetary provisions and called for discouraging the practice of creating liabilities.

He also urged the heads of departments to speed up the on-going projects and complete them in set timeline to avoid cost escalation.

He also asked for observing austerity measures and avoiding wasteful expenditure up to the extent possible, especially under the head "other expenditures".

(With inputs from agencies.)