A one day training-cum-exposure visit of the beekeeper farmers of Shahabad Bee keeper Farmer Producer Organization was today flagged-off by Additional District Development Commissioner Anantnag, Bashir Ahmad Wani.The said FPO has been promoted by NABARD under Central Sector FPO Scheme through Biocert International Ltd and the visit of farmers to FPOs promoted in other districts of Kashmir region was arranged under FPO Project capacity building component.The event was attended by Chief Agriculture Officer and District Development Manager NABARD.
The objective of such programmes is to make the farmers aware about the functioning of FPOs in other districts which have been promoted by NABARD.DDM NABARD Rouf Zargar said that these visits provide a cross learning experience to farmers and enable them to pick up the learning points which can be implemented in their own FPOs.
The Shahabad Bee Keepers FPO was sanctioned by NABARD in year 2020 and has more than 150 bee keeper farmers. The FPO has been promoting the pure Acacian honey under their own FPO Brand name. The FPO was granted FSSAI license and has applied for organic certification.
ADDC while interacting with FPO Farmers appreciated the role of FPO in functioning as business entity and adopting the latest and prolific bee keeping techniques. He advised the farmers to ensure the highest standards of quality are maintained by the FPO and work in a professional business organisation manner.
Chief Agriculture Officer Anantnag, Aijaz Ahmad apprised that the department has been providing due support to the agency Biocert in functioning of the FPO. He said that district has recently set up a honey processing unit and bee keepers especially FPO members can avail the services of the unit.