Jammu (NVI): The central government has sanctioned establishment of three Common Incubation Facility Centres in Jammu and Kashmir in one year with the aim of improving the income of farmers through processing and marketing of agricultural, horticulture, dairy and fish products.
The centres will be set up in Anantnag, Baramulla and Jammu at a cost of Rs 7.81 crore, Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare Department, Navin Kumar Choudhary, said.
He hoped that these Centres will prove to be a milestone in the history of processing and marketing of Agricultural, Horticulture, Dairy and Fish products in J&K, an official release said, adding the move will certainly help in achieving the goal of doubling the income of farmers.
First Incubation Facility Centre will be established at Anantnag with an estimated cost of Rs. 2.70 crore which will have focus on processing fish and fishery based products.
The Centre will aim for manifold increase in production of fish, processing, packaging and export to different parts of the country as well as abroad, he added.
Choudhary said that the second Centre will be established at Narwal, Jammu, with an estimated cost of Rs. 2.68 crore for processing of dairy products.
The Government is according focused consideration on increasing milk production and Jammu and Kashmir is likely to be transformed into milk surplus territory, he added.
He said that focus of this facility will be to promote value addition by way of producing milk based products like butter, cheese, ghee, chocolate and packaging and marketing of the products on scientific lines.
He added that J&K will soon turn into one of the important destinations of milk based products.
Choudhary further informed that the third Incubation Facility Centre will be established at Baramulla for processing of apple and other fruits and vegetables.
This will give a new dimension to processing, packaging of fruits and vegetables of international standard and consequently better marketing and income to the growers.
Horticulture Department is already implementing an ambitious scheme of High Density Plantation and establishment of large scale CA stores, he added.
Choudhary further informed that one more proposal of establishment of Incubation Centre at Ramban is likely to be considered by the Center government shortly.
This proposed Centre will focus on olive, lavender and other important products like Rajmash of erstwhile Doda region.
