In an endeavor to facilitate the Fruit and Vegetable growers in post-harvest handling, District Development Commissioner, Dr. Sagar D. Doifode, today inaugurated Kissan Mandi at Doda to facilitate Direct Marketing.The Mandi has been established by the Department of Horticulture Planning and Marketing (J&K) in Co-Ordination with Agriculture Production Department Doda.During the event, DDC informed that the Project of Kissan Mandi established within Agriculture Complex at Doda will prove to be a boon for farmers of the area and its surrounding villages. This will benefit all categories of farmers to sell out their produce directly to the buyers, the ultimate consumers, yielding employment avenues to the stake holders and increase in their earnings. The Mandi will also serve as a collection Centre where from the marketable surplus will be dispatched to major markets of Jammu, Udhampur and other market places.The DDC expressed gratitude to the Union Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperatives for launching such Project aimed at to facilitate even the marginal farmers by providing market at their door steps under DIRECT MARKETING focusing to ensure enhanced producers share in consumer rupee.He thanked Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Navin Choudhary, for prioritizing such farmer–oriented projects. He also expressed gratefulness to Director Horticulture (P&M), Imam Din, for his guidance and efforts in this regard.Meanwhile, Area Marketing Officer Doda–Kishtwar, Ashwani Kumar, acquainted the farmers/stake holders with the importance and benefits of this project. He appreciated the role of Chief Agriculture Officer Doda, Shahid Iqbal, in providing a platform for Direct Marketing at Agriculture Complex Doda.Also present on the occasion were Sunil Singh, AGMO Doda, CHO Doda, Inderjit Singh and Jagdish Raj Marketing Inspectors Doda, SDAO Thathri and other officers and officials of Agriculture and allied Departments.Later, Horticulture (P&M) department distributed masks and sanitizers among the farmers present there to sell their produce.