A four-day training programme, ‘Agri Export Marketing for Cooperatives and FPOs’ commenced today at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Shalimar campus.
The skill training is jointly organised by the SKUAST-K’s by the Division of Food Science and Technology and the Union Ministry of Cooperation’s Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management (VAMNICOM), Pune with an aim to equip the participants with comprehensive knowledge and skills on various aspects of international marketing with a special emphasis on the export of apple, walnut and saffron crops.
Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai highlighted the initiative taken by the Govt. of India to establish three lakh cooperative societies and 10,000 FPOs across India. While highlighting the issues concerning the agri-export trade, Prof Ganai highlighted the role of SKUAST-K in conducting short-term vocational courses for skill development in the Agri-processing sector and the importance of establishing direct links between processors and exporters.
Registrar, Cooperative Societies J&K, Shafqat Iqbal, emphasised the need for conducting trainings for cooperative societies and establishing market linkages for boosting Agri-exports trade in J&K. He also informed about the role of Cooperative National University to be established in near future. For the benefit of the farming community, the establishment of Primary Agriculture Credit Societies was the major highlight of his talk. He thanked SKUAST-K and VAMNICOM for taking conducting the training programme.
Director VAMNICOM, Dr Hema Yadav, highlighted the role of cooperatives and FPOs to support traceability in agricultural value chains for the benefit of both producers and consumers. She also highlighted the immense potential of value addition of agricultural commodities and direct linkages of cooperatives and FPOs with the export market for enhancing farmers’ income.
Dean Faculty of Horticulture, Shabir Ahmad Wani highlighted the role of conducting such programmes to strengthen the cooperative societies and FPOs for doubling the farmer’s income.
Head Division of FST, Prof SZ Hussain, highlighted the achievements of the Division of FST. He deliberated the success stories of the division for the development and commercialization of innovative technologies like saffron beverage, dispersible saffron kehwa tablets, apple chips, apple powder, walnut butter and mechanized inshelled walnut processing chain. He further highlighted the role Academia-Industry Interface in the revival of sick food processing industries in J&K.
