Pampore: Secretary Director Financial Services Government of India Dr Vivek Joshi visited National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to promote Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in Lethpora area of Pampore in south Kashmir s Pulwama district on Sunday evening. The visit focused on enhancing collaboration with Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs) promoted by NABARD.
During the event, the Secretary Finance connected with
Abdul Hameed Wani's life is a testament to resilience and triumph. Forced to leave school at a young age, he worked as a laborer before embracing tailoring and entrepreneurship. Hameed's journey led him to establish Kashmir's first privately owned fruit Mandi, charging only Rs 11 commission, a fraction of formal Mandis. His dedication and honesty have earned him community respect, with his Mandi transforming into a thriving hub, benefiting many. Hameed's story is an inspiring reminder of the power of hard work and humility.
Lassipora, located in South Kashmir, becomes a bustling hub of activity even at midnight during the apple harvest season. This region, anticipated to be India's largest apple industry cluster, faces unique challenges in 2023 due to low apple production in Himachal and Kashmir. Mechanical grading and packing processes are gaining popularity, saving time and ensuring efficiency. The cold storage chain in Kashmir is expanding rapidly, with investments exceeding Rs 2500 crore. However, investors face issues with subsidy disbursement, expansion limits, and high credit costs. The cold chain has helped manage apple supply and demand effectively, encouraging retention of quality produce for later market sales. Future investments should consider infrastructure-deficient areas and smaller facilities within orchards.
RAJOURI A Major rank officer lobbed grenades at his colleagues and subordinates at a coy station of 48 Rashtriya Riles at Neeli in Rajouri’s Thanamandi area. Five or six soldiers including two officers are reportedly injured.
The Himachal apple market maintains stability thanks to a government practice preventing low-quality apples from reaching the main market. In contrast, Kashmir faced challenges in implementing a similar strategy. The Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) aimed to utilise lower-grade apples for other sectors but faced obstacles and was discontinued. Recently, a revived MIS could help the apple concentrate industry in Kashmir grow, improving overall apple quality and reducing market dependence on China. Additionally, local juice-making units have the potential to challenge top players in India's fresh apple juice market.