Srinagar, Oct 27: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has said that the process of tendering to provide insurance cover to fruits under the Re-structured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) is currently underway, aimed at safeguarding the horticulture sector from weather-induced losses.
Replying to a question of MLA Pulwama Waheed Ur Rehman Para, Minister for Agriculture Javed Ahmad Dar, in a written reply, said that the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) was announced by the Government of J&K in the year 2019 for procurement of Apple fruit crop through Government of India’s authorized Enterprise, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation Ltd. (NAFED) to provide benefit to the farmers by facilitating the timely marketing of farm produce during Covid-19 pandemic
“Under Re-structured Weather Based Crop Insurance scheme (RWBCIS)- apple, saffron, mango and litchi crops have been notified to provide cover,” the minister said. He added that the tendering process for the selection of an insurance company (out of the empanelled Insurance companies notified by the Gol) to provide Insurance cover to these Horticulture crops is in process,” he said.
Dar said the department is providing assistance for the establishment of C.A Storage unit in the JKUT. “The estimated requirement for Controlled Atmosphere (CA) & storage is 6.00 LMT (30% of the annual production of fruit crops).
“Currently, Jammu and Kashmir has 2.92 LMT of capacity. The Department is contemplating increasing the C.A Storage capacity in the next five years. Apart from keeping sufficient funds in the Centrally Sponsored Scheme Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), J&K Government is also providing top-up subsidy from UT Capex,” he said.
The minister said various initiatives are being undertaken to support this expansion, including awareness programs and seminars in each district to inform youth about incentives for establishing CA infrastructure and post-harvest activities.
Most CA stores are located in the Industrial Growth Centres at Lassipora, Pulwama, and Aglar, Shopian, he said, adding that efforts are also underway with the Industries and Commerce Department to establish sector-specific industrial estates for horticulture and post-harvest management in other districts.
Dar said the department has established two fruit and vegetable markets in Pulwama – at Prichoo and Pachhar Rajpora – which are operational. “Infrastructure upgrades are ongoing, with funds of Rs 1.28 crore and Rs 3.68 crore allocated for the improvement of these mandis under NABARD for the year 2025-26,” he added—(KNO)
