Under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the Department of Agriculture Kulgam in collaboration with Horticulture Planning and Marketing today organized an awareness camp regarding Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM-FME) Scheme at Govt. Higher Secondary School Manzgam, here.
The awareness camp was attended by progressive farmers, Self Help Group’s (SHG’s), unemployed youth from different villages of Block Manzgam and Pombay. Chief Agriculture Officer Kulgam (District Nodal Officer PMFME) Sartaj Ahmad Shah gave a detailed presentation of the scheme and informed the participants about the significance of the Centrally Sponsored PM-FME Scheme in providing subsidy and loans at subsidized rates to beneficiaries interested in establishing food processing units for getting a better livelihood and generating income for the unemployed youth of the district.
During the programme, Resource Persons from the Department highlighted the challenges of the unorganized food processing sector including lack of access to modern technology and equipment, training, access to institutional credit, lack of basic awareness on quality control of products, and lack of branding and marketing skills, etc which limit their performance and their growth despite its huge potential in value addition sector.
The programme was attended by Lead District Manager (LDM), District heads of line Depts. including Horticulture, Fisheries and representatives of KVK, DIC.LDM assured all the participants that they will be provided full cooperation from all financial institutions.
Representatives of DIC and KVK briefed the participants about the various issues related to establishment of units.