Every district to get Centre of Excellence: Javid Dar

Jammu, Aug 6: The Department of Horticulture, Planning and Marketing, Jammu and Kashmir, Wednesday organized a Buyer-Seller Meet under the theme “Connecting Farmers with markets”, at Convention Centre, Canal. Road, with the objective of strengthening the market linkages and promoting agri-business partnerships within the Union Territory’s flourishing horticulture sector.
The event was chaired by Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Departments, Javid Ahmed Dar.
MD JKCIP/HADP, APD, General Manager NABARD, Special Secretary APD, MD JK Agro, MD HPMC, Director Command and Heads of the different Agriculture and allied departments such as Horticulture, Agriculture, Animal & Sheep husbandry, fisheries , sericulture and others.
The meet brought together a diverse range of stakeholders including prominent horticulture growers, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), traders, exporters, agri-entrepreneurs and representatives of organized retail chains from across the country. It served as a vibrant platform for direct engagement between buyers and sellers, aiming to enhance transparency, ensure better price realization and open up new market avenues for J&K’s premium horticultural produce such as Apples, Walnuts, Basmati Rice, Cherries, Pecannuts, Pears and Apricots.
The event featured focused B2B interactions, technical sessions and knowledge-sharing discussions on topics like “Export potential of horticultural produce, Adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Integration with e-market platforms like e-NAM, Innovations in packaging and logistics.”
The department reiterated its commitment towards empowering the stakeholders through targeted training, capacity-building programs, and facilitation of market access at both national and international levels.
This initiative is part of the UT Government’s broader vision to strengthen horticulture-based livelihoods and boost the agri-economy of Jammu and Kashmir by creating a market-driven and sustainable ecosystem.
Javid Dar appreciated the initiatives taken by the department to boost horticulture sector in J&K. He advised the participants to avail the benefits of various schemes launched by the Government for betterment of growers and buyers of J&K.
The Minister said that the government is very keen to uplift Horticulture sector for uplift of economy of Growers of J&K. It shall continue to explore the possibilities for launching similar flagship programs to boost the Horticulture/Agriculture sector.
The Minister assured that every district will have Centre of Excellence, which will provide farmers with access to modern technology, expertise and resources. He directed the concerned officers to focus on developing rainfed areas in various sectors like horticulture, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry to prevent migration due to livelihoods.
The event facilitated direct interaction between the farmers, FPOs and institutional buyers, enabling transparent price negotiation and long-term business opportunities. Various local products including walnuts, saffron and processed items were showcased during the event.
The meet also highlighted modern marketing platforms like e-NAM and promoted B2B partnerships.
Earlier in his inaugural address, Ghulam Jeelani Zargar, Director, Horticulture Planning and Marketing, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment towards developing a robust mechanism for creating marketing linkages between the local sellers and buyers within and outside UT and integrated value chain in the horticulture sector. He highlighted key initiatives under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) &Jammu & Kashmir Competitive Investment Project (JKCIP), including establishment of Controlled Atmosphere (CA) stores, integrated pack houses, grading and sorting lines and expansion of cold chain infrastructure, all aimed at minimizing post-harvest losses and improving product quality.
The officials emphasized the government’s commitment towards developing a sustainable horticulture ecosystem through infrastructure, market interventions and capacity building. The initiative is expected to significantly boost farmer incomes and promote value chain development across the region.