Assures buyer friendly measures, non-constructed shop sites in Baramulla to be cancelled to be allotted to the deserving growers and traders
J K News Today
Srinagar, May 30
Director Horticulture (P&M) Vishesh Mahajan on Sunday visited Sopore, the apple town of Kashmir and reached out to the traders at Asia’s second largest mandi with the assurance that all support would be extended to make the mandi buyer friendly for traders.
Mahajan had a detailed discussion regarding issues and difficulties with the Fruit association members and growers of the apple town.
In their discussions, the association members and growers raised some important issues which they wanted the department to tackle at the earliest.
Director Horticulture (P&M) instructed the engineering wing of the department to take up the development of Baghi-Sundri Road in order to ease out the access to the Mandi. He further asked for the immediate renovation of the Kissan Ghar in the Mandi as the fruit season was about to begin.
He directed the Executive engineer PHE to ensure supply of at least one water tanker to Mandi during the peak season till the water supply scheme is completed.
Director assured full support in the establishment of a Cold Store in the Mandi.. He ,however ,stressed on the fact that such a big mandi should have a Cold store for the benefit of apple growers.
Later Director Vishesh Mahajan visited the Baramulla Mandi where he also deliberated upon a number of issues raised over there by growers and fruit Association members.
Director Horticulture took a strong note of the issue where the people get shops in Fruit Mandis allotted and then don’t construct shops as per the lease deeds.
He further said that it is this non -construction of shops that in some mandis don’t function to full potential.
In this direction, he directed the officials of the department to cancel the lease deeds of such allottees who don’t start their business in Mandis.
The director said that all those shops whose lease deeds get cancelled will be allotted a fresh to other aspiring growers/traders.
Highlighting the importance of proper grading, he said that it is a universal fact that better graded produce always fetches better price in the market. He further drew attention of the growers towards building a better relationship with buyers as a well graded product brings confidence in the consumers.
The Director said that the department in the past has regularly implemented Market Intervention scheme (MIS) for C grade apple and is actually envisioned to encourage growers take up better grading practices. The motive, he further elaborated, was to strive to reduce the wastage of our fruits and adopting of ways to process the fruits which don’t meet the quality standards.
During the programme ,the Director also interacted with FPO entrepreneurs suggesting them of adopting government sponsored different schemes for the sector.
On Mandi connectivity with the rail , Director said that he would take up the matter with the railway authorities of connecting the railway track with the Mandi for the better and easy transportation of fruit.
The Director Horticulture (P&M) accentuated the importance of the horticulture to the GDP and the role it plays in the livelihood of thousands of people who are directly and indirectly associated with it
