Javid Ahmad Dar, Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Cooperative, and Election Departments, today chaired the 67th Board of Directors (BoDs) meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Horticulture Produce and Marketing Corporation (JKHPMC) at the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretaries of Agriculture and Finance Departments, Commissioner Secretary Forests, Secretary Transport, MD of the National Horticulture Board, MD JKHPMC, and other senior officials from SKUAST, Horticulture Departments of Jammu and Kashmir, and Food Technology divisions—some joining virtually.
During the session, the Board reviewed the Corporation’s financial performance and implementation status of ongoing and completed projects under the CAPEX Budget and other centrally sponsored schemes.
Key projects discussed included the successful completion of Common Incubation Centres at Sopore (fruits and vegetables), Achabal (fish and marine products), and Narwal (bakery and dairy), along with progress under the Apple Cluster Development Programme and 29 projects under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP).
Minister Dar urged the Corporation to optimize operations, strengthen asset utilization, and embrace technological innovations. “JKHPMC must evolve with modern market demands and technological trends in the food industry,” he emphasized, calling for diversification and stakeholder cooperation to enhance Jammu and Kashmir's horticulture sector.
He noted the interest shown by European consultants in the region’s horticultural potential and encouraged efforts to tap into this global relevance for sustainable growth and farmer welfare.
Earlier, MD JKHPMC presented a comprehensive overview of the Corporation’s ongoing initiatives and achievements.