‘It will facilitate stakeholders by providing valuable marketing platform to growers, ensuring optimum prices to growers’
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Oct 28: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha Wednesday launched Market Intervention Scheme (MIS)-2020 for Apple here at Horticulture Complex, Raj Bagh.
The Lt Governor said the objective of the newly launched MIS is to facilitate the stakeholders by providing optimum prices to the growers in the region during the peculiar situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic.
“MIS is a great relief for apple growers. It will provide a comprehensive insurance cover against any obstacle thus helping in stabilizing the income of the Apple farmers,” he said.
According to him, the scheme was launched for the first time in the history of J&K during September-2019 and was widely appreciated by the growers across J&K and therefore, the Government agreed to extend it to this year also.
This scheme will make way for procurement of 12 Lakh MT of apples which will not only ensure profitability to the apple growers but at the same time, it will also create rural employment through supplementary services such as packaging, transportation etc.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister has also allowed NAFED to utilize Government Guarantee of Rs. 2,500 Crore.
“The losses, if any, to be incurred in this operation will be shared between the Central Government and UT administration of J&K on 50:50 basis,” said Sinha.
He said the MIS would provide a valuable marketing platform to the growers, besides ensuring remuneration prices of apples and protect the Apple growers from making distress sale.
“NAFED is going to collect the apples from the growers and make the payment directly into the accounts of the growers through DBT. It will also address all issues related to marketing and transportation, in addition to providing optimum returns to apple growers, which will go a long way in expanding the horizon of this sector in J&K,” Sinha said.
The Lt Governor asked the MD NAFED to increase their investment in Horticulture infrastructure from proposed Rs 100 cr to Rs 500 cr to give a substantial push to the development of horticulture sector in J&K.
He said Horticulture-Agriculture is a major industry in the UT and around 70 percent of J&K’s population is connected with the sector.
“We had released an excess of Rs 680 crore for augmentation of Agriculture and Horticulture sectors so that better marketing and innovative farming techniques are incorporated by the producers. All the government’s efforts are aimed at increasing the income of farmers and fruit growers,” he said.
The Lt Governor also called upon the farmers to set up Controlled Atmosphere Storage Plants with the help of 50% subsidy provided by the UT government.
He underlined the importance for linking the UT’s fruit and vegetable mandis to National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) Platform.
The Lt Governor said that other policies for more investment in apple cultivation, expansion of satellite markets and provision of high density rootstock are also being framed.
“We have to become a market leader in the horticulture sector and the entire government machinery would ensure that the dream is fulfilled soon,” he said.
Promoting J&K’s Horticulture and Agriculture produce to the global platform; official stall of J&K will also be displayed in the upcoming Dubai Food festival, he added.
On the occasion Sinha also distributed certificates to the farmers for their achievements in Buyers-Sellers meet and other certificates under various departmental schemes.
