A two-day skill development programme focused on the processing of plums commenced at KVK Ganderbal, with the aim of equipping participants with the skills necessary to establish small-scale processing units.
The programme was inaugurated by the Dean of the Faculty of Horticulture, Professor Shabir A. Wani, who highlighted the importance of processing this keystone fruit in the Kashmir Valley and its potential for rural economic development, the university said in a press release issued here.
Dr Ishfaq Abidi, Chief Scientist and Head of KVK Ganderbal, highlighted the market potential and economic benefits of small-scale units in fruit and vegetable processing and encouraged participants to explore these opportunities for better employability and economic returns.
Professor Shabir A. Wani interacted with the participants, informing them about various HADP schemes available to transform primary agriculture into secondary agriculture. Dr Faheema Mushtaq, Professor of Vegetable Science, provided insights into seed production in vegetables and discussed the scope of vegetable processing in the Ganderbal district.
Dr Rafiya Munshi, Scientist (Home Science) and coordinator of the programme, gave a presentation on “Small Scale Fruit and Vegetable Processing and Products,” outlining the potential products that can be developed from plums and other stone fruits.
Dr Suja Nabi Qureshi, SMS (Horticulture), presented on “Checking Maturity Indices of Plum” and addressed queries related to production constraints in plum cultivation. Dr Farooq A. Ahanger, SMS (Plant Protection), and Dr Shaheen Farooq, SMS (Animal Science), informed the trainees about the Integrated Farming System (IFS) model and the role of plums in fruit diversification.
The programme also included interactive sessions with the scientific staff and practical demonstrations at the Food Processing Training Centre (FPTC) of SKUAST-K Shalimar, providing hands-on experience to the participants.
