SRINAGAR: Four days online training programme was inaugurated on Wednesday in directorate of extension in collaboration with manage Hyderabad on “ Encouraging formation of FPOs under Mountain / Hill Agriculture System” Prof M. C Sharma formerly Vice-Chancellor Indian Veterinary Research Institute was the Chief Guest and guest of honor was Prof J P Sharma Vice-Chancellor SKUAT-Kashmir. Prof K C Gummagolmath Director (M&E) Manage Hyderabad, Associate Directors, Scientist of the Directorate and the participants of the training programme also attended the inaugural session of the training programme.
Prof M. C Sharma informed the gathering of experts that FPOs will be formed and promoted through cluster based business organization (CBBOs) engaged at the state/cluster level by diverse implementing agencies. The CBBOs will have five category of specialists form the domain of Crop Husbandry, Agri Marketing/ Value Addition and procession , Social Mobilization, law and accounts, he added.
Prof J. P Sharma Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Kashmir has emphasized on doubling of farmers income(DFI) and sensitize the participants regarding the support by National Project Management Agency (NPMA) for providing over all project guidance, Data compilation, and maintenance through integrated portal and information management and monitoring. He expressed happiness about increase in GDP from 12% to 20% by agriculture. He honoured the guest with a momento and addressed the house and hopefully expressed the opinion that export rate will also get increased from ameager 1.255 by forming FPOs
Prof Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi Director Extension stressed for the formation of FPOs in aspirational districts in the Union Territory with at least one FPO in each block of the aspirational district. He desired that FPO will be promoted under “one district one product” cluster to promote specialization and better processing marketing, branding and export by FPOs, Pulwama for dairy, Kupwara for walnut, Shopian and Baramulla for Apple, Budgam for organic vegetables and Anantnag and Kulgam for Mushkbudgi and Red rice etc.
PROF KC Gummagolmath Director Manage Hyderabad said that mother nature has given a beautiful diversity to J&K as for its crops are concern about the member of the FPOs and said that initially the minimum number of members in FPO will be 300 in Plain area and 100 in north east and hilly areas . He also said that State /UTs will be allowed to avail loan at prescribed concessional rate of interest under agri-market Infrastructure fund. (AMIF). The deliberations shall be carried for 4 days in which officers of line departments besides fruit growers agencies will be participating.

KR Desk