Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 10: Underscoring the need for creating more storage facilities to preserve the perishable commodities, Chief Secretary Madhav Lal in a high level meeting with Chairman Warehouse Development & Regulatory Authority (WDRA), Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Dinesh Rai said that State Government is keen to develop warehouse infrastructure and cold storage facilities for farmers and fruit growers.
The high level meeting which was also attended by member WDRA Karnail Singh, Commissioner Secretary Agricultural Production Shaleen Kabra, Secretary CA&PD Mohammad Abbas Dar, other senior officers and J&K Bank representatives discussed various issues related to warehouse infrastructural development and creation in Jammu and Kashmir, introduction and extension of Post Harvest Loan to farmers and introduction of negotiable warehouse receipt system in the State.
Chairman WDRA Dinesh Rai said that full assistance to the State will be provided so that considerable number of accredited and registered warehouses and storage facilities are created and dispersed in significant production belts especially related to horticultural produce. “We want to help the farmer and the fruit grower of the State through scientific warehousing of agricultural and horticultural commodities. A large gap exists between the production and the storage facilities available right now and we have to bridge that gap”, he said, adding “even for food grains, pulses etc we need storage warehouses”.
Giving details WDRA Chairman said that over a period of time, negotiable warehouse receipts would become a prime tool of trade, beneficial for all stakeholders, be it godown owners, farmers or consumers. Tonnes of grains, pulses, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables go waste because of improper storage facilities. Moreover, farmers and fruit growers have very little power to profitably hold onto his produce. He has to either sell it in the market at the prevailing rate and incur loss or store it in decrepit warehouses. He is also left at the mercy of local and outside Mandis, he added.
Mr. Rai said once the negotiable warehouse receipt system is in place, the farmer gets an officially recognised receipt against which he can take loan from bank for further farming activities or alternatively selling his produce to a third person by endorsing the receipt, without even taking physical possession.
Chief Secretary Madhav Lal informed Chairman WDRA that already several proposals regarding setting up of controlled atmosphere and cold storage facilities by entrepreneurs have been received.
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