Omar Abdullah Commissions 7,145-MT Cold Storage Facilities in Jammu to Boost Agri Infrastructure

JAMMU: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today commissioned two major cold storage facilities in Jammu — a 5,145-MT complex at the Jammu and Kashmir Agro Industries Development Corporation Ltd premises in Talab Tillo and a 2,000-MT plant at Narwal Fruit Mandi with ten chambers capable of temperatures as low as –10 °C for apples, cherries, grapes and walnuts. The Narwal complex also includes a Common Incubation Centre under the PM-FME scheme for dairy and bakery processing, a 120-MT integrated pack house for onions and potatoes with cleaning, sorting, grading and pre-cooling lines, and a display and processing centre for agri-horti tools with dedicated exhibition and sales space.

“Gradual and lasting transformation will come through inclusive and balanced regional development,” Omar Abdullah said, stressing that agriculture must be strengthened alongside trade, tourism and manufacturing for holistic economic growth. He noted that the Talab Tillo facility, built with NABARD assistance, features 21 cold chambers and four scientific ripening chambers with automated temperature and humidity controls, Freon-based refrigeration, and solar-powered backup. Robust insulation, SCADA-based monitoring and dedicated docking bays, he said, will extend the shelf life of perishables and dramatically reduce post-harvest losses.

The inauguration at Talab Tillo was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani; Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Departments, Javid Ahmad Dar; Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Transport, Science and Technology, Information Technology, Youth Services and Sports, ARI and Trainings, Satish Sharma; MLA Jammu West, Arvind Gupta; Principal Secretary Agriculture Production Department, Shailendra Kumar; Managing Director J and K Agro Industries Development Corporation Ltd, Sandesh Kumar Sharma; and Divisional Manager AH Salaria, besides other senior officials.

Addressing traders and farmers at Narwal, Omar Abdullah said that increasing youth and women participation in agriculture, reflected in higher enrolments at SKUAST-Jammu, was a sign of the sector’s ongoing transformation. He invoked “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” to highlight agriculture’s national importance.

Javid Ahmad Dar underlined agriculture’s central role in the UT economy, noting that a large share of the population depends on it. He said the government was expanding post-harvest infrastructure through the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme and other schemes, and has formed a sub-committee to resolve lease and operational issues faced by fruit marketing agents.

Satish Sharma reaffirmed the government’s commitment to equitable development, while MLA Bahu Vikram Randhawa called mandis “vital economic hubs” deserving of sustained investment. Managing Director JKHPMC Farooq Ahmed Dar praised the integration of production, processing and marketing under the state’s infrastructure push.

Officials said the new facilities would benefit farmers across Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch by cutting crop wastage, improving price realisation, and creating jobs in storage, logistics and processing.