Kargil, Feb 28, 2023: Deputy Commissioner/CEO, LAHDC, Kargil, Santosh Sukhedeve today chaired a meeting of District Level Monitoring Committee (DLMC) for formation and promotion of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).

The meeting was attended by Chief Agriculture Officer, Kacho Muhammad, Chief Horticulture Officer, Ali Raza, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Dr Muhammad Ismail, Principal Scientist Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kargil, Dr Muhammad Mehdi Akhone, AD Fisheries, Murtaza Ali, Deputy Registrar Cooperative Societies Kargil, Zakir Hussain, District Development Manager National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Tsewang Dorjey and others.

During the meeting, a detailed discussion was held on the formation and promotion of FPOs in the district to scale up the production, branding and marketing of produces under Centrally Sector Scheme (CSS). It also discussed the proposed plan for setting up of FPOs in the identified clusters in Kargil.

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The Deputy Commissioner approved the establishment of apricot and vegetable FPOs in Sodh and TSG Blocks respectively under the Central Sector Scheme in Kargil. The move will enhance farmer income besides generate employment opportunities for local unemployed youth.

DC Santosh said the new FPOs will help to scale-up production, branding and marketing of agriculture, and horticulture products like apricot and other locally grown and produced fruits and vegetables.

He advised concerned departments to provide handholding support to the FPOs in market linkages. The DC asked officers of line departments to identify the avenues for increasing marketability and value addition of agricultural produce of farmers in the district.

DC Santosh also launched the Potential Linked Credit Plan (PLP) 2023-24 prepared by NABARD for Kargil district.