Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday inaugurated two major agricultural infrastructure projects here, asserting that gradual and lasting transformation would come through inclusive and balanced regional development.
At the Jammu and Kashmir Agro Industries Development Corporation Ltd Complex in Talab Tillo, Abdullah commissioned a 5,145-MT cold storage facility built with NABARD assistance.
The facility features 21 cold chambers and four scientific ripening chambers with automated temperature and humidity controls, Freon-based refrigeration and solar-powered backup.
Later, at the Narwal Fruit Mandi, Abdullah inaugurated four new post-harvest and value-addition units to strengthen Jammu’s agri-value chain. These include a 2,000-MT cold store for apples, cherries, grapes and walnuts; a Common Incubation Centre under the PM-FME scheme for dairy and bakery processing; a 120-MT integrated pack house for onions and potatoes with cleaning, sorting, grading and pre-cooling lines; and a display and processing centre for agri-horti tools with dedicated exhibition and sales space.
“Our endeavour is to establish assets that benefit the maximum number of people. Infrastructure must make farmers more resilient and their produce more valuable,” Abdullah said.
Stressing the need to bolster trade, tourism and manufacturing alongside agriculture, he underlined that such interventions are pivotal for holistic economic growth across Jammu and Kashmir.
Robust insulation, SCADA-based monitoring and dedicated docking bays will dramatically reduce post-harvest losses and extend the shelf life of perishables.
The chief minister said increasing youth and women participation in agriculture, evident from higher enrolments at SKUAST-Jammu, reflects a sector in transformation.
Echoing “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,” he reiterated agriculture’s equal importance to national service.
The newly inaugurated facilities will benefit farmers across Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch by reducing post-harvest losses, improving price realisation and creating local employment in logistics, processing and maintenance, an official said.
