Jammu & Kashmir Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam on Monday announced stage is set for procuring nearly 12 lakh MTs of apple produce this season from the apple growers of Kashmir division at remunerative prices.
It is for the first time, 60 per cent of the estimated annual apple production, which last year stood at 20 lakh MTs will be procured from the apple growers nearer their door steps. The scheme is expected to enhance the income of the growers in Kashmir Valley by about Rs 2,000 crore.
During the day, he also chaired a video conference with Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of Kashmir Division to discuss the roll out of the Special Market Intervention Price Scheme (MISP) of Government of India (GoI), being introduced to procure nearly 12 lakh MTs of Apple produce.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Director Horticulture, Kashmir, Director, Agriculture, Kashmir, Director, Jammu & Kashmir Horticulture Process and Marketing Corporation (JKHPMC), representatives of NAFED and other senior officers attended the meeting through video conferencing.
The period of procurement would be from September 1, 2019 to March 1, 2020. The fund requirement for the scheme has been estimated as Rs 8,000 crore.
Under the scheme, the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, GoI and the National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) will procure apple in J&K from the growers/aggregators so as to ensure remunerative prices for the apple crop.
While the nodal procurement agency from Government of India will be NAFED, the Nodal procurement agency from Government of Jammu & Kashmir will be the Directorate of Horticulture, Planning and Marketing, supported by the Directorate of Horticulture and the JKHPMC.
The apple will be procured from the growers/aggregators at Fruit Mandis situated in Sopore (Baramulla), Parimpora (Srinagar), Shopian and Batengo (Anantnag). Necessary facilities and infrastructure is being created at these Mandis for smooth operationalisation of the scheme.
Chief Secretary asked the DCs to gear up their administrative machinery to ensure that apple growers reap the benefits of the special market intervention scheme. He directed DCs to launch a sustained campaign to generate awareness among the fruit growers about the scheme and also start the process of their registration, collecting their Aadhaar and Bank Account details so that after procurement of the apple, payment can be made directly into their Bank Accounts within a period of 48 hours.