J&K govt to implement market intervention scheme

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir government has asked state officials to implement market intervention scheme (MIS), which provides market support to fruit growers, to enhance export of high-quality fruits.

"This is imperative to withstand stiff market competition in the liberal trade regime as sale of mixed grades of fruit brings bad name to the world famous fruit industry in the market," Horticulture Minister Mohammad Dilawar Mir said while reviewing progress on development of fruit market Sopore as model terminal in Baramulla district.

He also ordered procurement of C-grade fruit under MIS with immediate effect, starting from Sopore fruit market.

Mir also directed the officers and field agencies of horticulture department to make all 125 fruit procurement centers fully functional so that fruit growers could sell their C-grade fruit and export only A-grade fruits to outside state terminals in the country.

The minister called upon the fruit growers and traders of the state to avail benefits under MIS, which provides market support to the fruit growers, adding that no compromise on quality control of fruit would be allowed.

He said unscrupulous traders would be brought to book for any attempt to misuse the MIS. he said fruits bought under the scheme should not be allowed to be carried outside the state in loose packs.