SRINAGAR: The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), in collaboration with Fruit Master Agro Fresh Pvt. Ltd., organised a Farmers Capacity Development Programme in Kashmir aimed at strengthening the export potential of fresh fruits from Jammu and Kashmir and preparing growers for access to international markets.
The programme witnessed participation from several Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs) from across Jammu and Kashmir as well as progressive individual farmers. The initiative focused on creating awareness about export opportunities, international quality standards, sustainable cultivation practices and the challenges faced by growers in entering global markets.
During the interactive sessions, farmers discussed issues related to export readiness, quality management, market access, infrastructure gaps and compliance with international standards with experts from APEDA and other participating agencies.
Addressing the participants, Sehreena, Regional Head of APEDA for Jammu and Kashmir, highlighted the authority’s role in promoting agricultural exports from the region. She informed farmers about various support mechanisms and export promotion schemes being implemented through APEDA and urged growers to focus on producing premium-quality fruits suitable for overseas markets.
She assured the farming community of APEDA’s continued support in strengthening fresh fruit exports from Jammu and Kashmir and improving market linkages for local produce.
Izhan Javeed, Chief Executive Officer of Fruit Master Agro Fresh Pvt. Ltd., said that horticultural produce from Jammu and Kashmir has significant potential in global markets, provided growers maintain consistency in quality, productivity and supply reliability. He stressed the need to adopt modern farming practices and reduce production costs to improve competitiveness and ensure better returns for farmers.
Technical sessions were conducted by experts from Orchardly, who spoke on sustainability, export-oriented cultivation methods and quality improvement measures for fresh produce. The experts particularly emphasised the importance of producing Maximum Residue Limit (MRL)-compliant fruits to meet international import regulations and quality benchmarks.
Officials from the District Industries Centre, Agriculture Department and the Department of Horticulture and Horticulture Planning and Marketing also attended the programme and interacted with farmers regarding various government initiatives aimed at strengthening the horticulture sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
The organisers said the programme was another step towards positioning Jammu and Kashmir as a major exporter of premium fresh fruits while equipping farmers with the knowledge and technical skills required to successfully access international markets
