The Jammu and Kashmir Fruits and Vegetables Processing and Integrated Cold Chain Association (JKPICCA) has praised the 2025-26 budget for its "holistic approach" to horticulture development, calling it a forward-looking initiative that equally addresses pre-harvest and post-harvest challenges.
In a statement released today, JKPICCA highlighted that the strategic budget allocations are expected to "boost the horticultural economy, generate employment, and enhance farmers' incomes" across the Union Territory.
"This represents a landmark step for our agricultural sector," said a JKPICCA spokesperson. "The balanced focus on both production and storage infrastructure demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of our farmers' needs."
The budget includes provisions for high-density plantation promotion and establishes six new Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage facilities with a combined capacity of 30,000 metric tons. Officials have outlined an ambitious five-year plan to reach 600,000 metric tons of CA storage capacity, which industry experts say will significantly reduce post-harvest losses.
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