Srinagar: The government on Wednesday said that it had set a target of doubling apple production in Kashmir in the next four years and reaching 5 lakh metric tons of Controlled Atmospheric (CA) store capacity.
Addressing the India Cold Chain Conclave, Himalayan Chapter, at Sher-e-Kashmir Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta said, “We have to double apple production in Kashmir. It will help us become number one in agriculture and allied income.”
This was the first-ever cold chain conclave held in Kashmir and senior government officials, foreign delegates, entrepreneurs, industrialists, and farmers participated in it.
Mehta said that in 2019, J&K’s CA store capacity was 1.25 lakh metric tons, which had now doubled.
“We aim to reach 5 lakh metric tons,” he said.
The chief secretary said that in 2019, the government realised the importance of having a full-fledged CA store chain.
“Such infrastructure is beneficial for the horticulture industry to earn the right price for its produce,” he said. “When we have sufficient infrastructure for products like apple, the farmers can hold back and sell their produce to their satisfaction without having to incur losses.”
Mehta said that there was a need to do more in the context of apple production and developing a sufficient CA store infrastructure.
He dwelled on the importance of the event as a platform to share knowledge.
The chief secretary said that it was important to increase apple produce and develop a quality CA store infrastructure in Kashmir.
The India Cold Chain Conclave, Himalayan Chapter, organised in Srinagar, aims at making the farmers embrace new technologies and providing a platform to benefit horticulture players in Kashmir.
Like Mehta, the organisers and other senior officers also pushed for the growth of the cold chain industry in Kashmir.
The event was organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industries (PHDCCI) and the National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCD) with support from various departments.
PHDCCI Kashmir Chair, A P Vicky Shaw said that this was a great moment as the conclave had been organised in Kashmir for the first time.
“This will be a great learning experience for the participants, who include entrepreneurs, farmers, and people from the CA store industry in Kashmir. We have amazing events including workshops that will be a learning platform for everyone. This is a platform to embrace technologies and learn cutting-edge innovations to alleviate CA stores to new heights,” he said.
Earlier, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar said that Kashmir was on the path of growth, peace, and stability.
Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare’s Joint Secretary Priya Ranjan also dwelled on the importance of the event.
He said Kashmir is a sunrise region, and it was the best time to invest here and be part of its growth.
J&K Fruits and Vegetables Processing and Integrated Cold Chain Association (J&K PICCA) President, Maajid Aslam Wafai gave insight into the CA store industry in Kashmir through a video presentation.
“We have developed a robust cold chain industry, and it is our hard work and support of the government that has made it possible. The last decade has been a decade of immense growth in this sector, and there has been huge investment in this sector,” he said.
VC Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K) Nazir Ahmad Ganai, and Director Agriculture Ghulam Rasool Mir were also present on the occasion.
After the event, a workshop was also organised in which many entrepreneurs and farmers participated.