KATHUA: A two-day workshop for Kohinoor Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs) of block Barnoti was organised by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kathua.

The program was organised with a focus on value addition for realising better profits in collaboration with Manager cum Chemist, Department of Horticulture, Kathua under the leadership of Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Jammu Dr. B. N. Tripathi, under the aegis of Director Extension, SKUAST-Jammu Dr. Amrish Vaid.

The vocational training programme on value addition was organized with the objective of Attaining and Retaining Youth in Agriculture and make them self reliant in which more than 40 trainees participated.

The aim of the programme was to develop the skill of the youth in processing so that they will become job providers rather than job seekers.

Chief Horticulture officer Kathua was the Chief guest of the programme and DDM NABARD Amit Kumar and Manager cum Chemist Kathua Vinay Vilas, was the Guest of Honour during the programme.

At the outset, Chief Scientist & Head, KVK-Kathua Dr. Vishal Mahajan welcomed the participants of training Programme and highlighted the role & importance of Krishi Vigyan Kendra in skill development of rural youth. He briefed about the importance of entrepreneurship development. While welcoming the participants, he said it was imperative for farmers to adapt to the emerging situations and learn how to add value to their produce so that they can get better returns. Both the Central and UT governments were implementing various schemes, including subsidy schemes, to promote value addition and FPOs can avail the same, he said.

He practically demonstrated the manual operation of continuous band sealer for sealing different type of products. Continuous band sealers are a go to option for sealing bags and pouches. He motivated the farm women to go for value addition of different products like pickles, anola candy, gulkand, aamchoor powder, badiyan etc. He said Krishi Vigyan Kedra Kathua will provide the facility of sealed packing to all the groups who are associated in value addition Agri business.

Chief Horticulture Officer Ashwani Khajuria briefed the participants about different types of schemes related to horticulture under HADP Project.

DDM NABARD Amit Kumar gave Power Point Presentation on Formation and Management of Farmer Producer Organisation. MCC Vinay Vilas explained the FPO group about Processing of seasonal fruits and vegetables.

He practically demonstrated the manual operation of continuous band sealer for sealing different type of products. Continuous band sealers are a go to option for sealing bags and pouches. He motivated the farm women to go for value addition of different products like pickles, anola candy, gulkand, aamchoor powder, badiyan etc.

Kamal kumar, Canning Instructor Practically demonstrated the participants about preparation of different types of pickles like mango, bitter gourd, chili and Mango Chutney at KVK Kathua.

Chief Scientist- Plant Protection Dr. Anamika Jamwal, briefed about the importance of sealed products. She explained the basic motto of this training programme and motivated the participants to establish their own units for generating income.

Dr. Berjesh Ajrawat discussed about the marketing strategy, pricing and financial projections to start agribusiness plan.

The queries related to production technology and value addition of different produce like vegetable and fruits were satisfactorily answered by the team of scientists of KVK Kathua.

The participants showed keen interest in the programme and requested to carried these types of training programme in future also.