Kamili reviews implementation of FPOs in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jul 1: Secretary in Agriculture Production and Farmers’ Welfare Department (AP&FWD), Shabnam Shah Kamili Friday held a preliminary meeting to review the Farmers Produce Organizations (FPOs) of J&K at Agriculture complex Lalmandi here.
The meeting was attended by Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhury Mohammad Iqbal; Director Horticulture Kashmir Ghulam Rasool Mir; Director Sericulture, Manzoor Ahmad Qadri; Director Fisheries, Irshad Ahmad Shah; Director Animal Husbandry, Purnima Mittal; Director Extension SKUAST-K, Prof. Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi, representatives of different FPOs in person while as the Jammu and Delhi based officers including the officer from NABARD, attended the meeting through video conferencing.
While addressing the meeting Secretary in AP&FW talked about the importance of an action plan for the FPOs in J&K. She said that all the stake holders must come together for the successful implementation of FPO initiative.
She said in coming days district wise action plans would be prepared so that the FPO intervention could be introduce in all the areas of the UT.
While highlighting the importance of awareness among the farmers, she said that capacity building programmes would be organized for all the stake holders of the FPO initiatives including the members of FPOs. Pertinently the farmers producer organization (FPO) is an organization of producers of any agricultural, non farm products etc. It helps to illuminate the chain of intermediaries in agricultural marketing. The main aim of the FPO is that every member gets equally benefited.
Earlier, Director Agriculture Kashmir Chowdhury Mohammad Iqbal gave a detailed presentation regarding the status of FPOs in Kashmir division.
He said the department has registered 40 FPOs till date and also informed the meeting regarding the various interventions taken by the department to raise awareness about the FPO’s among the farming community.
Different heads of departments, representatives of FPO’s, representatives of NABARD, SKUAST and other stake holders also expressed their views and feedback regarding the farmer’s producer organization initiative.