The government recently constituted Working Group on Agri Exports and Agr Hubs in Jammu and Kashmir.
It has been tasked with to review the draft District Export Action Plan and furnish comments and suggestions for incorporation in these plans suitably to make them more practical and purpose-oriented.
Besides, its terms and conditions include to review the export performance of various products mentioned in the draft plans of each district and recommend measures/ interventions for improvement thereof.
It has been also tasked with to recommend such interventions and measures as are necessary at the level of Union Territory to give boost to District as Export Hubs (DEH) and One District One Product (ODOP).
Also, it is to suggest any measures or interventions as may be deemed necessary for promotion of exports from Jammu and Kashmir.
Agriculture is an important sector of the economy given its substantial contribution to the total GDP. Jammu and Kashmir’s economy is mainly dependent on it as almost 70% of the population is directly or indirectly engaged in agricultural and allied activities.
Recently a government’s Apex Committee, comprising of Agricultural Scientists, prepared a detailed plan to “transform agriculture and allied sectors”.
Headed by Ex-DG ICAR, the panel’s terms and conditions included directing and monitoring “timely working of the Technical Working Groups (TWGs)” as well as acting as a “strategic advisory committee” at top level. Importantly, it was tasked with the job to draw the broader contours of the strategic roadmap for the growth and development of agriculture in different activities on which the respective domain TWGs shall work upon. It was also tasked to meet target of 100% SRR with quality seeds, by building seed multiplication chains in PPP or through private entrepreneurships, double resource use efficiency from 30% to 60% in respect of nutrients and moisture as well as reducing food waste to 1/3 (10%) through proper post-harvest management by building suitable infrastructure and tripling food processing from 5 to 15% by focus on secondary agriculture etc.
Not only this, it was additionally tasked to build capacity to meet the requirements of the quality planting material and establish functional and profitable FPOs in all districts of J&K.
The panel submitted the policy recommendation in a time-bound manner which it turn reflected the urgency and importance the government has been according to the sector. All these are welcome step and the government must continue with the endeavour.
