JAMMU, FEBRUARY 14: An FPO Conclave was held on the third day of the SKUAST-Jammu Agriculture Summit and Kisan Mela 2026 at Chatha, serving as a focused platform for deliberations on strengthening Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and enhancing value chain competitiveness in Jammu and Kashmir.
The programme was presided over by Secretary, Agriculture Production Department and Mission Director HADP/JKCIP, Sandeep Kumar, who emphasised the critical role of FPOs in transforming agriculture from subsistence farming to enterprise-driven growth.
The conclave featured an in-depth workshop on the production and export scenario of niche Basmati rice, highlighting Jammu and Kashmir’s strategic potential in quality production, branding, processing and expansion into global markets. Experts from the Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF), industry representatives, financial institutions and the Agriculture Production Department shared key insights on strengthening financial linkages, improving credit access and enabling sustainable enterprise models for FPOs.
A major highlight of the event was the formal distribution of six registration certificates to newly registered FPOs under the Jammu and Kashmir Competitiveness Improvement Project (JKCIP). This milestone marks a significant step toward institutional strengthening and formalisation of farmer collectives in the region.
With formal registration, these FPOs are empowered to actively participate in processing, value addition, branding and export-oriented agribusiness development. The initiative aims to strengthen the agricultural sector and enhance farmers’ incomes by integrating them into competitive value chains and market-driven enterprises.
The conclave reaffirmed the commitment of the Agriculture Production Department under HADP/JKCIP to empower farmer-led organisations, promote high-value crops such as niche Basmati rice and build a robust ecosystem for sustainable agri-entrepreneurship in Jammu and Kashmir.