In a step forward to aware the public about the art of Fruit and Vegetable Preservation, the Department of Horticulture Jammu today conducted “One Day Farmers’ Training Cum Outreach Programme” at village Maira Mandrian of Horticulture zone Akhnoor. The training event was held under the chairmanship of Director Horticulture-Agriculture Jammu Ram Savak. DDC member Mera-Mandrian- Chouki Choura Suresh Sharma was the Guest of Honour.
Joint Director Agriculture, Mahesh Kumar Verma; Chief Horticulture Officer Jammu Ashwani Sharma, Chief Agriculture Officer, Jammu; DL Subject Matter Specialist, Sandeep Gupta; Manager cum Chemist, Uttam Chand; SDAO Akhnoor, HDO, Amit Saraf & Varinder Kumar besides Sarpanch Trilochan Dutt and a large number of women farmers were present on the occasion.
While addressing the gathering of women entrepreneurs and farmers, Ram Savak emphasized on the need for establishment of individual processing units for fruit processing/ fruit drying/ spices preparation etc. for which the Department of Horticulture is providing a 50-60 percent subsidy.
He advised women farmers to form their Farmers Club/ FPO’s / Self Help Group to establish processing units on community level and take this business as an entrepreneurship. He said that the value addition of fruit products will not only reduce the post harvest losses of fruits, but also provide employment opportunities for the youth.
The director also briefed them about the various Centrally and UT sponsored schemes of the department, especially Holistic Agriculture Development Plan (HADP) and urged them to come forward, associate with the horticulture department and avail the benefits on different components.