SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (JKHPMC) has proposed investing around Rs 20 crore in government funds to revive a stalled integrated pack house and cold storage project at Chowdrigund in Shopian, following reports that the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has sought a refund of the assistance released for the project.
JKHPMC said the proposed revival plan would modernise the facility to meet current industry requirements, with the funding to be sought under the Union Territory government’s Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) programme in the next financial year’s budget estimates.
The project, conceived in 2005 with APEDA’s assistance, could not be completed despite repeated extensions. According to JKHPMC, frequent changes in the site and project design, along with the executing contractor’s default, contributed to the delay. Action against the contractor included blacklisting and legal proceedings.
Highlighting the facility’s importance for apple growers in Shopian and adjoining areas, JKHPMC said it had conducted a fresh technical assessment and prepared a plan to complete the project with upgraded post-harvest infrastructure.
The proposed facility will include a grading, packing and waxing line with a capacity of five metric tonnes per hour, along with a controlled-atmosphere storage facility with an estimated capacity of 2,000 metric tonnes. Existing infrastructure will be retained wherever technically feasible.
JKHPMC said the technology envisaged when the project was originally conceived had become outdated, making a revised plan necessary to bring the facility in line with present-day requirements.
Once operational, the facility is expected to improve scientific storage and post-harvest handling, reduce losses and enable growers to market their produce beyond the peak harvesting season. The corporation said this could improve returns for growers and generate local employment in Shopian, a major apple-producing district of Jammu and Kashmir.
On APEDA’s demand for a refund of the assistance released for the original project, JKHPMC said the matter would be taken up with the Government of India under Clause 18 of the project memorandum of understanding dated July 15, 2005.
The corporation said the issue would be examined in the context of the proposed revival and the commitment to complete the facility using Jammu and Kashmir Government resources.
JKHPMC reiterated its commitment to reviving the stalled project and ensuring that the upgraded facility delivers the intended benefits to apple growers.
