HP&M Deptt, J&K organises Buyer Seller Meet
STATE TIMES NEWS
HYDERABAD: With a view to coordinate among all stakeholders and efficiently move forward in fast bridging the gap between the buyers and the sellers, a one-day Buyer Seller Meet was organized on Monday by the Department of Horticulture Planning and Marketing (HP&M), J&K under the guidance of Shailendra Kumar, Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production Department at Manage, Hyderabad.
The meet was participated by around 250 people including sellers from various districts of J&K and Buyers from Hyderabad, Mumbai, Karnataka and Kerala.
Vikas Sharma, Director HP&M J&K, in his inaugural address, informed that J&K is bestowed with a variety of agriculture and horticulture produces and is the leading producer of apples in the country with large varietal spectrum and harvest ranging from July till November, besides having a unique position in the global market.
He further shared that, this is the fifth such mega and successful event in the last 07-08 months, the earlier ones being “BSM at Kolkata”, “BSM at Jammu”, “CA Storage Logistics Meet” at Srinagar and “Export Conclave at Jammu” that have not only boosted the promotion, awareness and visibility of produces of J&K but has also opened avenues of growers of J&K to directly market their produce to new markets and increase their incomes.
“The department will also endeavour to hold events in future wherein big potential buyers from all over India are invited to the fields of J&K and sensitize them regarding functioning of Pre and Post Agriculture/ horticulture practices in J&K,” he added.
Arun Manhas, Managing Director, J&K Agro Industries Development Corporation addressed the gathering by highlighting the role and significance of the department and stressed upon the potential avenues of Agri/Horti products of J&K and how the government, growers and traders can work in unison to take this sector to new heights.
G. Lakshmi Bai, Director Agriculture Marketing Telangana informed the audience about how the Telangana government is constantly striving towards developing better market infrastructure for the state and openly invited the growers and traders from J&K to setup their establishments in upcoming Koheda Market ensuring all support from the government.
Dr. P. Chandra Shekara, Director General, Manage, Hyderabad briefed about the significance of Manage as one of the premier institutes with around 6.3 lakh trained people through its extension programmes and congratulated the Government of J&K for organising such events and reiterated the joint vision to fortify the relationship of the two institutions though training calendars where the officials of Horticulture Planning & Marketing (HP&M) could get trained through various training programs/workshops of Manage.
Vikas Sharma thanked all dignitaries present in the occasion especially Dr. K.C Gommagulmath, Director (Monitoring and Evaluation), Manage Hyderabad for his wholehearted support to organize this event among others – Director PMU-HADP APD J&K, Deputy Director Horticulture Kashmir, Deputy Director (P&S) HPM, Accounts Officer HPM, Deputy Director HPM Kashmir HPM, Deputy Director HPM, organising team of Grading/ Marketing Inspectors, President C.A Storage Association Kashmir, Presidents of various Fruit and Vegetable Associations of J&K and local markets.