Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 27: Government is moving to address the growing challenge of horticulture waste by setting up composting units in major fruit mandis, with the first facility in Sopore completing its trial run.
Replying to a question tabled by MLA Irshad Rasool Kar, the Government said a windrow composting unit has been established at the Fruit and Vegetable Market in Sopore under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) for 2025-26.
The unit, aimed at converting organic horticulture waste into compost, has successfully completed its trial run and is expected to be operational during the upcoming fruit season. Officials said the facility has an installed processing capacity of 24 metric tonnes per day, or around 720 metric tonnes per month.
However, the department clarified that the unit has not yet been fully operationalised, and no waste has been processed on a commercial scale so far. As a result, no compost has been generated for sale and no revenue has been realised from the unit to date.
The government further said that three additional composting units are under consideration at major fruit and vegetable markets, including Shopian and Bandipora, to address the mounting challenge of waste generated during peak harvesting seasons.
Jammu and Kashmir’s horticulture sector, a key contributor to the region’s economy, produces large volumes of organic waste, particularly in fruit-growing belts. The absence of proper disposal and processing mechanisms has raised environmental concerns in recent years.
The department said the new composting facilities are part of broader efforts to ensure scientific waste management while promoting the use of organic compost in agriculture.
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