Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a meeting to review preparations for implementation of One District One Product (ODOP) in Jammu and Kashmir here at Civil Secretariat.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Industries and Commerce, Prashant Goyal; Directors Horticulture, Directors Agriculture, Director Horticulture (P&M), Managing Director JKHPMC, General Manager UTLBC, AGM RBI Jammu, Chief Manager PNB, Jammu, representatives of SKUAST Jammu and Kashmir and other concerned officers while Kashmir based officers participated online.
ACS directed the officers to constitute an expert committee from allied and other departments for identification of products from each district having good export quality and marketing potential at international level.
Dulloo suggested several products which have demand at international market like Apple, Walnuts, Saffron, Trout Fish, Wool, Silk, Basmati Rice, Rajmash, Spices, Kala Jeera, Anardana, Honey products, Basohli paintings and other such products which have high market value to benefit the farmers to the optimum.
He was informed that a common facility center would be established either at every district or more than two districts where facilities like testing laboratories, product development centers, training centers and common cold storages would be stationed.
ACS asked the committee to submit its report at the earliest in consultation with all the allied departments so that the ODOP scheme will trickle down to all the farmers and agripreneurs alike.Earlier, a detailed presentation was given wherein overview of ODOP scheme was presented.
The meeting was told that food processing is unorganized sector in Jammu and Kashmir and the scheme will create employment and value addition in the sector.It was informed that J&K has 144 food processing units which are largely unorganized and are involved in manufacturing of bakery products, pickles, spices, jam, jellies, juices, honey etcetera.