Governor for setting up of fruit processing units

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 12

Governor NN Vohra inaugurated the first harvest of the high-density plantation of apples at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), by plucking some fruit from among the several varieties of high-density apples in its orchard here on Sunday.

He lauded the initiatives of Nazeer Ahmed, Vice Chancellor (VC), and his colleagues in the horticulture faculty for successfully raising a very attractive high-density apple orchard on the university campus. He recalled his long association with the university’s experiment to grow new varieties of fruit plants and said he had visited this orchard several times since the root stock was put in the ground nearly a year and half year ago. He expressed happiness on being invited at the time of harvesting of the first crop of several attractive varieties of foreign apples.

The Governor observed that adoption of high-density species would raise the crop production nearly five times in four to five years and perhaps higher yield in the years to come.

He said the rising production would trigger many challenges like sampling and grading of fruit, proper packaging, storage in controlled climate premises, proper transportation and decision regarding timing of marketing the fruit.

He urged Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, Adviser, to set up a multi-disciplinary team to undertake the required advance planning and timely implementation of various actions, so that the growers could gain handsome profits from their investments. He also advised timely establishment of fruit processing units in collaboration with the growers.

The VC signed an MoU with the Jammu and Kashmir Fruit And Vegetable Processing and Integrated Cold Chain Association, under which the university would provide technical know-how to the cold storage owners for proper storage of apples.